Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

President of India Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on 14-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. This recognises his exceptional achievements in domestic and Under-19 cricket. The award ceremony was held in New Delhi. It celebrated children who have demonstrated outstanding talent. These children have shown dedication at a young age.

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National Recognition for Young Achievers

The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is India’s highest civilian honour for children aged 5 to 18 years. It is awarded across categories including Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology. Vaibhav Suryavanshi was honoured in the Sports category. Addressing the awardees, the President noted that Vaibhav has carved a unique place for himself in India’s competitive cricketing landscape. This achievement is remarkable despite his young age.

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Record-Breaking Performances in Domestic Cricket

Vaibhav recently made headlines with an outstanding performance. He scored a blistering 190 off 84 balls for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This innings made him the youngest centurion in List A cricket history. He also shattered AB de Villiers’ long-standing record for the fastest 150 in List A cricket. Additionally, he hit 15 sixes, the most by an Indian batter in a 50-over match.

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Consistency Across Formats and Youth Cricket

The young batter has delivered remarkable performances across formats. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored an unbeaten 108 off 61 balls against Maharashtra at Eden Gardens. He became the youngest centurion in the tournament’s history. At the Under-19 level, he holds the record for the highest score by an Indian. He achieved 171 runs against the UAE in the Under-19 Asia Cup. He also scored a century against Australia Under-19 in a Youth Test in Brisbane.

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Exam-Oriented Facts

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is India’s highest civilian award for children (5–18 years).
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi received the award in the Sports category.
• He is the youngest centurion in List A cricket history.
• He broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest 150 in List A cricket.
• He holds the record for the highest score by an Indian in the Under-19 Asia Cup.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s recognition reflects India’s growing emphasis on nurturing young sporting talent. It highlights the emergence of a new generation of cricketers who are capable of excelling at national and international levels.