Vaibhav Suryavanshi Receives Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

President of India Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on 14-year-old cricketing prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his exceptional achievements in domestic and Under-19 cricket. The awards ceremony was held in the national capital, recognising children for outstanding accomplishments across multiple fields.

National Recognition for Young Achievers

The President presented the honours to children who excelled in Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology. Congratulating the awardees, she said that Vaibhav Suryavanshi had carved a unique identity in the highly competitive world of cricket and set multiple records at a very young age. The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is India’s highest civilian award for individuals between five and 18 years of age.

Record-Breaking Domestic Performances

Vaibhav recently stunned the cricketing fraternity by scoring 190 off 84 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The innings made him the youngest centurion in List A history and saw him break AB de Villiers’ long-standing record for the fastest 150 in the format. His 15 sixes in the match were also the most by any Indian in 50-over cricket.

Consistency Across Formats and Age Groups

Earlier, the Bihar batter struck an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls against Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at Eden Gardens, becoming the youngest centurion in the tournament’s history. He also holds the record for the highest score by an Indian in Under-19 Asia Cup history with a 171-run knock against the UAE and scored a century against Australia Under-19 in a Youth Test in Brisbane.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is India’s highest civilian award for children.
• The award recognises excellence in six categories, including sports and bravery.
• List A cricket refers to domestic limited-overs matches.
• Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is India’s premier domestic T20 tournament.

Historic IPL and International Milestones

Vaibhav Suryavanshi also created history in the Indian Premier League by debuting for the Rajasthan Royals at just 14 years and 23 days, becoming the youngest player in the tournament’s history. Nine days later, his explosive 35-ball century against the Gujarat Titans made him the youngest centurion in IPL history and the fastest Indian to score an IPL hundred. The Board of Control for Cricket in India congratulated the teenager, describing him as one of India’s most exciting emerging batting talents.