Since its establishment in 1928, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has remained cricket's most powerful governing body as far as international cricket is concerned. Not only have its presidents dominated domestic cricket, but it has also turned India into a cricket giant at the international level.
Throughout the years, the role of the BCCI president has been one of paramount responsibility—varying from financial matters, infrastructural expansion, and overseas representation to deciding the destiny of cricket in India. From its first president, R. E. Grant Govan, to the recently elected Mithun Manhas in 2025, each of them has imparted their legacy. This article gives the entire updated list of BCCI presidents and their contribution and impact to Indian cricket history.
No. | Name | Took Office | Left Office |
1 |
R. E. Grant Govan |
1928 |
1933 |
2 |
Sikandar Hayat Khan |
1933 |
1935 |
3 |
Nawab Hamidullah Khan |
1935 |
1937 |
4 |
Maharaja K. S. Digvijay Singh |
1937 |
1938 |
5 |
P. Subbarayan |
1938 |
1946 |
6 |
Anthony S. D’Mello |
1946 |
1951 |
7 |
J. C. Mukherji |
1951 |
1954 |
8 |
Maharajkumar of Vizianagram |
1954 |
1956 |
9 |
Sardar Surjit Singh Majithia |
1956 |
1958 |
10 |
R. K. Patel |
1958 |
1960 |
11 |
M. A. Chidambaram |
1960 |
1963 |
12 |
Maharaja Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad |
1963 |
1966 |
13 |
Z. R. Irani |
1966 |
1969 |
14 |
N. Ghose |
1969 |
1972 |
15 |
P. M. Rungta |
1972 |
1975 |
16 |
Ramprakash Mehra |
1975 |
1977 |
17 |
M. Chinnaswamy |
1977 |
1980 |
18 |
S. K. Wankhede |
1980 |
1982 |
19 |
N. K. P. Salve |
1982 |
1985 |
20 |
S. Sriraman |
1985 |
1988 |
21 |
B. N. Dutt |
1988 |
1990 |
22 |
Madhavrao Scindia |
1990 |
1993 |
23 |
I. S. Bindra |
1993 |
1996 |
24 |
Raj Singh Dungarpur |
1996 |
1999 |
25 |
A. C. Muthiah |
1999 |
2001 |
26 |
Jagmohan Dalmiya |
2001 |
2004 |
27 |
Ranbir Singh Mahendra |
2004 |
2005 |
28 |
Sharad Pawar |
2005 |
2008 |
29 |
Shashank Manohar |
2008 |
2011 |
30 |
N. Srinivasan |
2011 |
2013 |
31 |
Jagmohan Dalmiya |
2013 |
2013 |
32 |
N. Srinivasan |
2013 |
2014 |
33 |
Shivlal Yadav |
2014 |
2014 |
34 |
2014 |
2014 |
|
35 |
Jagmohan Dalmiya |
2015 |
2015 |
36 |
Shashank Manohar |
2015 |
2016 |
37 |
Anurag Thakur |
2016 |
2017 |
38 |
C. K. Khanna |
2017 |
2019 |
39 |
2019 |
2022 |
|
40 |
2022 |
2025 |
|
41 |
2025 |
Present |
Image Source : Wikipedia
The BCCI started with R. E. Grant Govan in 1928, establishing the initial structure of Indian cricket administration. His own followers, including Nawab Hamidullah Khan and Maharaja K. S. Digvijay Singh, strived to bring India into international cricket. India staged its very first Test series at this point, and the domestic competition stadium for the Ranji Trophy was established. Indian cricket gained international respect on the strength of leadership efforts to establish structure and recognition with scant money.
Image Source : Wikipedia
By presidents such as M. A. Chidambaram, S. K. Wankhede, and N. K. P. Salve, the Indian cricket became a more established entity. Kapil Dev's India won the 1983 World Cup with wholehearted BCCI support during these times. N. K. P. Salve's era was particularly noteworthy when he headed the staging of the 1987 World Cup in the subcontinent. Sponsorships, grounds, and television broadcasts were the focus, and the time arrived when cricket was no longer merely a game but a commercial proposition.
Image Source : Mint
The 1990s saw the change under the stewardship of Madhavrao Scindia, I. S. Bindra, and Raj Singh Dungarpur. They modernized cricket administration and brought in commercial reforms. Bindra transformed cricket television broadcasting with lucrative television rights contracts, generating new avenues of income.
Jagmohan Dalmiya further strengthened India's global leadership, the first and sole Asian president of the ICC. With Sharad Pawar and Shashank Manohar, India's economic strength became even more pronounced, and Indian Premier League (IPL) seeds took root. This period made BCCI the wealthiest and most dominant cricket organization in the world.
Image Source : Mint
The formation of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 by N. Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar revolutionized cricket. It was the richest cricket tournament in the world with players, sponsors, and billions of spectators. Things this time were not smooth sailing.
The IPL spot-fixing controversy, leadership crises, and interventions by the Supreme Court initiated unprecedented alterations at the pinnacle with interim leaders such as Sunil Gavaskar and Shivlal Yadav in charge. During crisis, the IPL endured and expanded to make India the undisputed master of the cricket economy.
Image Source : PTI
Ex-cricketers have run the BCCI in recent times, taking on-field expertise to the leadership. Sourav Ganguly, voted to power in 2019, transformed domestic setups and guided cricket during the pandemic. His successor, Roger Binny, focused on grassroots cricket and global relations. In 2025, Mithun Manhas, a retired Delhi cricketer, was elected the 37th BCCI president.
This election reflects the increase in the number of leaders with different cricketing backgrounds, in this case, his role in the development of Jammu and Kashmir cricket. This kind of shift is welcome for the future when cricket administration balances financial acumen and significant playing experience.
The roll of BCCI presidents from 1928 to 2025 reflects the evolution of Indian cricket itself—of an infant game under colonial patronage to the world's most commercially ascendant sport. Each president contributed his own unique touch, possibly building structures, staging tournaments, or elevating India's standing in world cricket politics.
Now, with Mithun Manhas at the helm, the BCCI stands atop cricketing hegemony as well as monetary clout. But there are still challenges to overcome, sustaining transparency, strengthening grassroot initiatives, and striking a balance between global obligations and national interests. Indian cricket's fate will remain shaped by the guidance of the BCCI, and the leadership legacy will remain crucial.
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