The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is one of the most influential cricket governing bodies globally. Founded in 1928, the BCCI has been steered by 36 presidents who have played instrumental roles in shaping Indian cricket's growth, governance, and international stature. Former Delhi captain , who has been elected as the new BCCI president, is the 37th on the list.
Each president's tenure reflects changing phases of cricket administration-from foundational organisation-building, through commercial revolutions, to modern professional governance.
The First Presidents and Early Years
The first president of the BCCI was R. E. Grant Govan, a British businessman who served from 1928 to 1933. Govan laid the foundation of the Board, establishing India's cricket governance framework
and securing India's Full Member status with the Imperial Cricket Conference (now ICC) within the first year of BCCI's existence. The first honorary secretary was Anthony de Mello.
Following Govan, early presidents included political leaders and aristocrats such as Sikandar Hayat Khan (1933-1935), Hamidullah Khan (1935-1937), and P. Subbarayan (1938-1946). These leaders helped navigate Indian cricket through the pre-independence and early post-independence era, promoting cricket's organization and expansion at state and national levels.
The 10 Most Influential BCCI Presidents
R. E. Grant Govan (1928-1933): Established BCCI's foundation and secured India's early international recognition.
Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram (1954-1956): The first Indian royal president who helped embed cricket culturally across the nation.
N. K. P. Salve (1982-1985): Instrumental in India's 1983 World Cup victory and growing Indian cricket's global profile.
Jagmohan Dalmiya (1979-1980, 1997-2004, 2013, 2015-2016): Revolutionised cricket's commercial structure; expanded BCCI's financial and global influence.
Madhavrao Scindia (1990-1993): Advanced domestic cricket infrastructure and strengthened cricket diplomacy.
Raj Singh Dungarpur (1996-1999): Supported grassroots and domestic cricket development.
Sharad Pawar (2005-2008, 2009-2011): Oversaw India's 2011 World Cup win and modernization of BCCI governance.
N. Srinivasan (2011-2015): Grew IPL into a global brand and increased BCCI's influence in ICC politics.
Shashank Manohar (2008-2011, 2015-2016): Championed governance reforms, transparency, and integrity in Indian cricket.
Sourav Ganguly (2019-2022): Emphasised player welfare, cricket reforms, launched Women's Premier League, and professionalism.
Complete List of All 37 BCCI Presidents
| Sr. No. | Name | Tenure | Notable Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R. E. Grant Govan | 1928-1933 | First president, established BCCI's foundation |
| 2 | Sikandar Hayat Khan | 1933-1935 | Early administration during British India |
| 3 | Hamidullah Khan | 1935-1937 | Continued organizational growth |
| 4 | K. S. Digvijaysinhji | 1937-1938 | Advocated cricket development |
| 5 | P. Subbarayan | 1938-1946 | Pre-independence expansion efforts |
| 6 | Anthony de Mello | 1946-1951 | Led post WWII cricket revival |
| 7 | J. C. Mukherji | 1951-1954 | Domestic cricket focus |
| 8 | Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram | 1954-1956 | First Indian royal president |
| 9 | Surjit Singh Majithia | 1956-1958 | Focused on player development |
| 10 | R. K. Patel | 1958-1960 | Enhanced domestic infrastructure |
| 11 | M. A. Chidambaram | 1960-1963 | Expanded cricket administration |
| 12 | Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad | 1963-1966 | Supported cricket governance reforms |
| 13 | Zal Irani | 1966-1969 | Improved cricket governance |
| 14 | A. N. Ghose | 1969-1972 | Promoted cricket infrastructure |
| 15 | Purshottam M. Rungta | 1972-1975 | Domestic cricket development |
| 16 | Ramprakash Mehra | 1975-1977 | Governance modernization |
| 17 | M. Chinnaswamy | 1977-1980 | Established cricket stadium foundations |
| 18 | S. K. Wankhede | 1980-1982 | Venue improvements & cricket promotion |
| 19 | N. K. P. Salve | 1982-1985 | 1983 World Cup & ICC prominence |
| 20 | S. Sriraman | 1985-1988 | Cricket administration reforms |
| 21 | Biswanath Dutt | 1988-1990 | Governance improvements |
| 22 | Madhavrao Scindia | 1990-1993 | Domestic expansion & global diplomacy |
| 23 | I. S. Bindra | 1993-1996 | Financially strengthened BCCI |
| 24 | Raj Singh Dungarpur | 1996-1999 | Grassroots development |
| 25 | A. C. Muthiah | 1999-2001 | Facilities & domestic cricket focus |
| 26 | Jagmohan Dalmiya | 1979-1980, 1997-2004, 2013, 2015-2016 | Commercial revolution & IPL creation |
| 27 | Ranbir Singh Mahendra | 2004-2005 | Governance reforms & development |
| 28 | Sharad Pawar | 2005-2008, 2009-2011 | 2011 World Cup & modernization |
| 29 | Shashank Manohar | 2008-2011, 2015-2016 | Emphasized transparency & governance |
| 30 | N. Srinivasan | 2011-2013, 2013-2014 | IPL growth & ICC influence |
| 31 | Shivlal Yadav (Interim) | 2014 | Interim management |
| 32 | Sunil Gavaskar (Interim) | 2014 | Interim governance reforms |
| 33 | Anurag Thakur | 2016-2017 | Youngest president, grassroots push |
| 34 | C. K. Khanna (Interim) | 2017-2019 | Interim governance leadership |
| 35 | Sourav Ganguly | 2019-2022 | Player-centric approach & reforms |
| 36 | Roger Binny | 2022-2025 | Focus on domestic cricket & administration |
| 37 | Mithun Manhas | 2025-Present | Term Stars Now |
