Gavaskar wins BCCI's lifetime achievement award

Sunil Gavaskar has been awarded the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI for 2012. Gavaskar, a former India captain, will receive Rs 25 lakh (approx US$46,600), a trophy and a citation at a BCCI awards ceremony. The prize money that goes with the award has been raised from Rs 15 lakh (approx US$28,000), which Ajit Wadekar received last year.

Now a prominent television commentator, Gavaskar has been India's most successful opening batsman, at one point holding the record for the most Test runs (10,122) and most Test centuries (34). He was known for his near-perfect technique and his almost unbreachable defence. Since retirement, apart from working in the media, Gavaskar has also served in various roles with the BCCI and ICC.

Apart from Gavaskar, seven former players of repute will be awarded cash awards of Rs 15 lakh posthumously at the BCCI awards. This list includes batsmen Vijay Merchant, Vijay Manjrekar, ML Jaisimha and Dilip Sardesai, off spinner Ghulam Ahmed, and allrounders Vinoo Mankad and Dattu Phadkar. The awards are for the players' 'outstanding contribution to Indian cricket'.