Several superstars of the Indian cricket fraternity arrived in Ayodhya on the auspicious occasion of the Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on January 22. Sachin Tendulkar and Ravindra Jadeja were among the scores of celebrities who thronged the holy city of Ayodhya to attend the prestigious ceremony as the whole nation sang in devotion to Lord Ram in unison. Meanwhile, a video claiming the arrival of Virat Kohli in Ayodhya has also gone viral on social media. However, it hasn't been confirmed whether the Indian cricket superstar reached Ayodhya or not. In a couple of videos that have gone viral on the internet, Tendulkar was seen arriving in Ayodhya while a picture confirmed Jadeja's presence in Ayodhya.
Earlier on January 21, former India coach and legendary bowler Anil Kumble along with ex-pacer Venkatesh Prasad reached Ayodhya to revel in the festivities of a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The event in Ayodhya will host over 500 state guests, comprising a diverse group of politicians, actors, sports celebrities, and industrialists.
The guest list includes other celebrated cricketers like World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, 'little master' Sunil Gavaskar, Harbhajan Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Virendra Sehwag, and Indian cricket coach Rahul Dravid.
Members of the current Indian cricket team, such as Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Harmanpreet Kaur, had also received invitations. Mithali Raj had also received an invitation for the same.
According to a source, Rohit Sharma stayed back in Hyderabad and participated in a practice session with the national team ahead of first Test against England.
Invitations have been extended to weightlifter Karnam Malleswari, footballer Kalyan Chaube, long-distance runner Kavita Raut Tungar, and Paralympic javelin thrower Devendra Jhanjadia, as well as women's cricket captain Mitali Raj, badminton players Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, and their coach Pullela Gopichand. However, it remains uncertain how many of these invitees will be present at the inauguration of the 161-feet-tall pink sandstone shrine.
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Updated list of 15 Indian cricket icons invited for Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony; check all the names here
Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma receive invitation for 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
