New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid expressed gratitude after receiving the Lifetime Achievement honour at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026, saying he felt privileged to be recognised alongside some of the greatest legends of Indian cricket.

Dravid, along with former BCCI president Roger Binny, was honoured with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, while Mithali Raj received the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women at the prestigious BCCI Naman Awards 2026, on Sunday in New Delhi.

The BCCI Naman Awards annual ceremony recognises exceptional performances and enduring contributions across international, domestic and age group cricket while honouring individuals whose work has shaped the growth and stature of the game in the country.

The Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honour bestowed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to former Indian cricketers for their supreme contribution to the sport.

Dravid said the award held special significance as several iconic figures of the game had previously received the honour and had served as inspirations during his career as both a player and coach.

'I am very grateful to receive this award. I mean, follow the earlier recipients of this award, you know, are some of the greatest legends of the game in our country. It's really people I have looked up to, I have admired, have been great inspirations to me as a player and as a coach and all the other things that I've been involved in Indian cricket,' Dravid said.

The former India head coach added that the recognition was deeply humbling and reflected his long journey in the sport, which began during his early years in age-group cricket.

'So, it's a great privilege, it's very grateful for that honour, very humbled, and I think, you know, very appreciative of the fact that I've been able to be involved in Indian cricket for such a long time. Since the time I was a young boy, probably playing under 15 cricket for the first time, to today and very grateful for the opportunities that I've had,' he said.

Dravid also highlighted the importance of continuity in Indian cricket, stating that he always saw his role as carrying forward the legacy created by earlier generations.

'I think that I've always just seen my role as just carrying a torch. I carried a torch from an earlier generation, whether I was a player or a coach. I have just built on the good work that other people have done. I have had my time when I've had the opportunity to contribute and do the best that I can,' the Indian legend added.

He further praised the current generation of Indian cricketers and administrators for continuing to build on that legacy and taking the game to greater heights.

'I'm very proud and grateful to see the way the next generation continues to carry that on, and the kind of successes that we have had are a great credit to the current management, the current team and everyone involved with Indian cricket. So we all have our time in the game, and we have to do our bit, and I've tried to do the best that I can, and I've been inspired by generations before me, and it's just amazing to see that generations ahead of us continue to, in fact, take it to another level,' Dravid said.

Dravid was honoured for his outstanding contribution to Indian cricket as both a legendary batter and an influential coach. During his international career, he scored over 24,000 runs and anchored India's batting line-up for more than a decade, playing a key role in many historic victories as a player and captain.

After retirement, Dravid helped shape the future of Indian cricket through his work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), where he strengthened player development and guided India's U-19 team to the 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup title. As head coach of the Indian men's team, he later led India to victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, further cementing his lasting impact on the game. (ANI)