Mumbai: India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will receive the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for his exploits in international cricket in the 2018-19 season, the BCCI announced on Sunday.
The world's leading pacer will be honoured during the BCCI Annual Awards here on Sunday. The world's No. 1 ODI bowler made his Test debut during India's tour of South Africa in January 2018 and hasn't looked back since.
He picked up a five-wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies becoming the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the feat. He played a stellar role in the historic 2-1 Test series win in Australia, India's first Down Under and which helped them retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
While Bumrah nets the biggest prize in the men's category, Poonam Yadav will claim the top prize in women's section and will be awarded the best international cricketer.
The award will be another feather in the leg-spinner's cap who recently received the Arjuna Award.
Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will be presented with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.
A member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, Srikkanth took on the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers and scored an attacking 38, the top individual score in the low-scoring final at the Lord's.
He also captained India and post-retirement served as the chief selector and it was during his tenure that the 2011 World Cup squad was picked.
Anjum is one of the finest batswomen and the first Indian to play 100 ODIs. In a career spanning 17 years, Anjum represented India in four 50-over World Cups and two T20 World Cup (played in one).
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, "The BCCI Awards is our way of recognising the finest on-field performances right from the age group to senior level and also honour our legends.
"It will be a special evening in Mumbai as we will also have the 7th MAK Pataudi lecture and I am delighted to inform that it will be Virender Sehwag, who will address the gathering."
Board secretary Jay Shah said, "The BCCI Awards are an important feature in India's cricketing calendar, a melange of aspiration and inspiration.
"We wanted to make Naman bigger and better and have introduced four new categories highest run-getter and wicket-takers in WODIs and best international debut men and women from this year. A total of 25 awards will be presented." Arun Singh Dhumal, the board's treasurer, said, "Right from domestic to international level, Indian Cricket has had a memorable 2018-19 season.
"We have started the year on the right note with Team India completing a convincing series win against Sri Lanka and they will be in attendance.
"The U-19 team is in South Africa for the World Cup and all eyes will be on the stars of tomorrow. It will be a special evening and I congratulate the award winners."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rhode Island: Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island judge whose compassionate courtroom manner made him a global sensation, passed away on August 20 at the age of 88.
His death after “a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer” was announced through a statement on his Instagram account.
Widely known as “America’s Nicest Judge,” Caprio rose to international prominence through the television show Caught in Providence, which aired from 2000 and became an internet phenomenon years later. Clips of his empathetic judgments, often laced with humor, warmth, and kindness, attracted millions of viewers on social media, earning him a devoted following worldwide.
Born on November 24, 1936, Caprio served as a municipal judge in Providence from 1985 until his retirement in 2023. His courtroom became a symbol of compassion in justice. His most popular videos have been those where he calls children to the bench to help pass judgement on their parents.
“Beloved for his compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people, Judge Caprio touched the lives of millions through his work in the courtroom and beyond,” his family wrote in their tribute. “His warmth, humor, and kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him.”
With nearly 3.5 million followers on his personal Instagram account and over 16 million on the show’s official page, he used his platform to highlight systemic issues such as the lack of equal access to the judicial system. In one video, he remarked, “The phrase, ‘With liberty and justice for all’ represents the idea that justice should be accessible to everyone. However, it is not.”
Even in the final years of his life, Caprio remained an advocate for fairness. Reflecting on his approach to the bench, he said in 2017: “I hope that people will take away that the institutions of government can function very well by exercising kindness, fairness, and compassion in their deliberations. We live in a very contentious society. I would hope that people will see that we can dispense justice without being oppressive.”
On social media platformX, Gov. Dan McKee called Caprio a “Rhode Island treasure” and ordered that flags in the state be flown at half-mast in his honor.