In 2017, the Government of India awarded Shekhar Naik with Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour.

[1][2] Naik was born in a nomadic Banjara family in Arakere in southern Karnataka as the son of a farmer.

He was taken to a health camp organised nearby, and during the treatment the doctors realised the possibility of restoring sight in his right eye.

While not playing, he works as a sports coordinator for an NGO called Samarthanam, which funds the Cricket Association for the Blind in India.

He scored 134 runs in 58 balls against England in the finals, to help the team win the inaugural T20 world cup in 2012.