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India (Commonwealth) _ Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been awarded the most sought-after Sports Business Leader of the Year Award at the CII Sports Business Awards 2023.
CONGRATULATIONS to BCCI Honorary Secretary @JayShah on being given the Sports Business Leader of the Year Award at the @FollowCII Sports Business Awards 2023, wrote the BCCI on social networking platform ‘X’. This is a first for any leader in Indian sports administration, and it is well earned.
The leadership he delivered has left an indelible mark on Cricket globally, including spearheading the ICC Men’s World Cup to new elevated positions, championing diversity with significant strides in equal pay and the creation of the Women’s Premier League, guiding Cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics, and many other revolutionary initiatives that have transformed the game forever, according to a BCCI post on X.
The award was delivered by Chanakya Chaudhary, Chairman of the CII National Committee on Sports, emphasizing Shah’s important role in propelling Indian cricket to unparalleled heights. This honor is bolstered by a string of ground-breaking accomplishments that have not only raised but also transformed the sport’s dynamics.
Under Shah’s leadership, the just concluded ICC Men’s World Cup became the most attended World Cup in history. The tournament’s tremendous triumph not only caught the hearts of cricket fans worldwide, but also cemented India’s position as a global cricketing superpower.
One of the most notable achievements during Shah’s leadership has been the achievement of wage equity in Indian cricket. Breaking down barriers and advocating equality, Shah ensured that both male and female cricketers earned equivalent salary, ushering in a new era in Indian sports.
This decision demonstrates not just a commitment to fairness, but also an acknowledgement of the enormous ability and dedication demonstrated by female athletes, promoting an environment of inclusiveness and empowerment.
In another commendable endeavor, Shah was instrumental in establishing the Women’s Premier League, a groundbreaking event that has offered a platform for the country’s finest female cricketers to exhibit their abilities. This effort not only tackles the gender imbalance in sports, but it also demonstrates India’s dedication to cultivating excellence in all aspects of cricket.
Furthermore, Shah’s important involvement as a driving force in the ICC Olympics Working Group has played a critical role in bringing cricket to the Olympics, demonstrating his commitment to growing the sport’s worldwide presence. This strategic participation not only indicates his dedication to the expansion of cricket, but it also puts him as a crucial role in defining the game’s future on a worldwide scale.
On September 22, 1988, Jay Shah was born to Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and Sonal Shah.He earned a B.Tech from Nirma University. Shah is married to his college girlfriend ishita Patel, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the wedding.
Shah was a director at Temple Enterprise, a firm that was created in 2004 and specialized in the sale of agricultural products. In October 2016, the firm ceased operations. Shah holds a 60% share in Kusum Finserve, which was founded in 2015.
Shah was appointed joint secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) in September 2013 after serving as an executive board member of the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad, since 2009.As joint secretary, he managed the GCA’s development of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, along with his father, GCA president Amit Shah at the time.
Shah joined the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) finance and marketing committees in 2015.]In September 2019, he resigned from his post as GCA joint secretary. He was chosen as BCCI’s secretary for a one-and-a-half-year term the following month, making him the youngest of the five office bearers. The BCCI appointed Shah as its delegate for future CEC meetings of the International Cricket Council in December 2019. Shah was named President of the Asian Cricket Council in January 2021.
