Mithun Manhas' ancestral village rejoices as he becomes BCCI president

Jammu: Celebrations broke out in Mithun Manhas' ancestral village here on Sunday after the former Delhi captain's ascension to BCCI presidency, with the people terming it a moment of pride for the region.

The 45-year-old Manhas became the 37th president of the all-powerful cricket body after he succeeded former India cricketer Roger Binny, who resigned from the post last month after turning 70.

Manhas, a former Delhi captain and the first ever player from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the Indian Premier League, is the third consecutive former cricketer to become the BCCI president after Binny and Sourav Ganguly.

Celebrating the success of the "son of the soil", who had risen to the pinnacle of Indian cricket administration, the residents of remote Dossa village of Bhalessa in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district, recalled his family's connection to the place with pride.

"Our brother Manhas has made the entire village proud," Yog Raj Manhas told PTI, summing up the joy and sense of achievement that gripped the community.

He said the former player's appointment to the highest cricketing post in the country is a big achievement for the village, especially the Manhas family, in one of the remotest parts of the country.

"We know his father Dr Amar Singh Manhas who is regularly visiting his roots in the village. The cricketer had grown up in Jammu and last visited the village long back. But we are hopeful that he will visit us one day and we will celebrate his elevation to the post of BCCI together," Raj Manhas said.

He said all the people are saying that there is a lot of talent in J&K and "we are hopeful that he will utilise his resources to work on that talent so that more cricketers emerge from our land".

"We want better infrastructure for our youngsters including stadiums." Manhas, who featured in 157 First-Class, 130 List A and 55 IPL matches between 1997-98 and 2016-17, also served as the director of a three-member ad-hoc committee formed by the BCCI to manage the affairs of the Jammu and Kashmir State Cricket Association (JKCA) due to mismanagement.

"There is a lot of backwardness in our village and we are very happy that one of our cousins became the president of the BCCI. It is not an ordinary achievement and we know he will shine and make the country proud," said Niha Manhas.

Union minister Jitendra Singh, who represents the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency which also covers the Doda district, also expressed happiness over Manhas taking charge of the BCCI.

"A momentous occasion to celebrate! Mithun Manhas has been officially declared as the new President of the BCCI. What a providential Sunday for the erstwhile district of Doda, one of the remotest parts of Jammu & Kashmir, which incidentally also happens to be my own home district. Within a gap of a few hours, first a daughter of Kishtwar, Sheetal, shines out as World Champion and soon thereafter a son of Bhaderwah, Mithun stands atop," he said in a post on X.

MLA Doda West Shakti Raj Parihar also congratulated Manhas and said it is a proud moment for Jammu and Kashmir in general and Chenab valley in particular.

"There is no dearth of talent but we need better facilities and infrastructure. He will prove as an inspiration for our youngsters," he said.

J&K BJP's in-charge, law and legal affairs, Hunar Gupta also took to X and posted "Today is a red letter day in the history of J&K Cricket. Son of soil, international cricketer, established administrator Manhas assumes the office of President BCCI. An occasion to celebrate. We all JKIANs wish him good luck & success."