Bihar's teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi reached another milestone in his rapidly rising career after being conferred with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday.
The 14-year-old received the prestigious award in the sports category, recognising his extraordinary achievements at a remarkably young age. He is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the ceremony. This is the reason why he is not playing Bihar's Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Manipur.
The PMRBP is India's highest civilian honour for children between the ages of five and 18 and is presented annually to those who demonstrate exceptional talent and achievement
across multiple fields, including sports, science, innovation, social service and culture. Vaibhav's inclusion among this year's awardees underlines the impact he has already made on Indian cricket.
The left-handed batter's recognition follows a stunning domestic season that has rewritten record books. Earlier this week, Vaibhav produced one of the most explosive innings in List A history, blasting 190 runs from just 84 deliveries against Arunachal Pradesh. His knock, studded with 16 boundaries and 15 sixes, propelled Bihar to a world-record total of 574 for six in their 50 overs. During the innings, he reached his century in only 36 balls, becoming the youngest player ever to score a List A hundred.
Vaibhav also eclipsed AB de Villiers' long-standing record for the fastest 150 in List A cricket, getting there 10 balls quicker, while his 15 sixes set a new benchmark for an Indian batter in the format. Performances of this magnitude have firmly established him as one of the most exciting young prospects in the country.
Vaibhav had already caught the national spotlight during the Indian Premier League while playing for Rajasthan Royals. In a memorable outing against the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans, he smashed the fastest century by an Indian in IPL history, reaching the landmark in just 35 balls.
Following the award ceremony, Vaibhav is expected to rejoin the India Under-19 squad and travel to Zimbabwe as preparations intensify for the Under-19 World Cup, scheduled to begin on January 15, so there is a big chance, he will miss the remainder of the VHT as well.
