One of cricket’s all-time great all-rounders, Kapil Dev graced the Indian team from 1978 to 1994, featuring in 131 Test matches and 225 one-day internationals. His leadership led India to a historic World Cup victory in 1983.
Now, Kapil Dev, the iconic World Cup-winning former India cricket captain, has assumed the role of President of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), marking a significant new chapter in his illustrious career. At 65 years old, Kapil, previously Vice President of the PGTI Board, takes over from outgoing President H. R. Srinivasan following unanimous approval.
Renowned for his passion for golf, Kapil once aspired to represent India in the Asian Games during the amateur era. “It is an honour to become the President of PGTI, an organisation with which I have now been associated for quite a few years. It is a player’s body, and I am great friends with all of them and with whom I often play and now it is the sport where I spend most of my time. I have been a vice-President and I am on the Board, so it’s an honour to be chosen by the players to be the President. I promise to do my best as I always have,” Kapil said about his new position.
His commitment to the sport spans over three decades, with Kapil actively securing new sponsors for the PGTI and introducing prestigious events like the Kapil Dev Grant Thornton Invitational at DLF Golf and Country Club, boasting a purse of Rs 2 crore (approximately USD 240,000).
“Golf is a great sport. You can play it till any age and it is an amazingly relaxing sport. I am busy with cricket often, but it is a golf course I go to for relaxation. I am fortunate to be able to serve golf and I want to take it to new levels,” he added. His celebrity status in golf circles has seen him participate in events such as the Dunhill Links alongside global celebrities while maintaining close friendships with India’s top golfers like Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa, and Shiv Kapur.
