Former BCCI President IS Bindra Passes Away at 84 After Long Service

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Inderjit Singh Bindra, a pioneering figure in Indian cricket administration, died on Sunday. He was 84. Bindra, who played a key role in transforming the commercial and broadcasting landscape of Indian cricket, is survived by a son and a daughter.

Bindra served as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996 and was closely associated with cricket administration for nearly four decades. He also headed the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) from 1978 until 2014, making him one of the longest-serving state association presidents in the country. In recognition of his contributions, the PCA stadium in Mohali was renamed the IS Bindra Stadium in 2015.

Tributes poured in from across the cricketing world following his death. International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah expressed his condolences on social media, describing Bindra as a stalwart of Indian cricket administration whose legacy would continue to inspire future generations. Bindra’s association with the sport began in 1975, gradually evolving into a career that would leave a lasting impact on the game’s governance and commercial growth.

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He is best remembered for his instrumental role in organising the 1987 Cricket World Cup, then known as the Reliance Cup, which was co-hosted by India and marked the first time the tournament was held outside England. Working alongside Jagmohan Dalmiya and then BCCI president NKP Salve, Bindra helped open the Indian television market to new possibilities in cricket marketing and broadcasting.

In 1994, Bindra approached the Supreme Court of India to challenge Doordarshan’s monopoly over cricket broadcasting. A favourable verdict paved the way for global broadcasters such as ESPN and TWI to enter the Indian market, which would later become the most lucrative cricket broadcast market in the world.

Although his administrative career included controversial moments, including support for Lalit Modi after the IPL spot-fixing scandal and involvement in key international appointments, Bindra remained widely regarded as one of the architects of modern Indian cricket from a commercial and strategic standpoint.

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