Second women cricketer to get Padma Shri

Jhulan has now joined the elite league of cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, who have won the India\\\’s fourth highest civilian award.

She said that the award came as a surprise to her as she was not expecting it. Jhulan added that it has encouraged her to perform better for the team and the country.

"I did not have an iota of clue when my name was recommended from the union sports ministry. It\\\’s really a big honour. Getting recognition from the government is something really big,"  she added.

Jhulan dedicated the award to her family members, friends, team mates and coach Swapan Sadhu for helping her in making it big in the world of international cricket.

It has been an enviable journey for this girl from remote Chakdah in West Bengal\\\’s Nadia district. She made her international debut in a Test match opposite England at Lucknow in 2002 and four years later bowled India to its maiden series victory on England soil.

Jhulan has taken 135 wickets in 114 one-day internationals and 33 from eight Tests for India.

Plying her trade in a male-dominated sport, she is the world no. 1 fast bowler in women\\\’s circuit and is ranked third in the all-time list of most wicket takers.

In 2007, Goswami was adjudged ICC women\\\’s cricketer of the world and received the highest civil honour for sportspersons – the Arjuna award – in 2010.

She was also the best women cricketer for 2011 bagging the M.A. Chidambaram trophy.