JUST IN: MS Dhoni and Pankaj Advani awarded Padma Bhushan

India’s World cup winning captain MS Dhoni, and Billiards World Champion, Pankaj Advani, are the only two sportsperson to be awarded the Padma Bhushan this year.

Announcement of the awardees for the Padma Bhushan(India’s 3rd highest civilian award) was made today, on Republic Day’s eve.

Pankaj Advani, India’s billiards and snooker genius has won 18 world titles.

“I’m honoured and humbled to be named for the PadmaBhushan award. This is motivation for me to continue my pursuit for excellence at the world level in billiards and snooker” said Advani

I’m honoured and humbled to be named for the #PadmaBhushan award. This is motivation for me to continue my pursuit for excellence at the world level in billiards and snooker: Pankaj Advani (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/lBnAQxCvIg

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2018

MS Dhoni, India’s multiple World cup winning captain became only the 11th cricketer to be awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Dhoni has already been awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. MS Dhoni though won’t be here to receive the award, as he is travelling to South Africa for the upcoming ODI and T20 series against South Africa which begins on the 1st of February.