Virat Kohli, on September 25, became the third cricketer to receive the prestigious Khel Ratna award. He was bestowed the honor by President of India Sh. Ramnath Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Virat Kohli’s name was proposed for the award two times before, but he was rejected in favor of other athletes. But his consistent performance in all formats of the game has earned him the due respect from the nation. Sachin Tendulkar in 1998 and MS Dhoni in 2007 are the other two cricketers to get the coveted honor before Kohli.

Kohli was accompanied by his mother Saroj, brother Vikas and wife Anushka Sharma to the presentation ceremony. Virat has, on numerous times, credited Anushka for the changes in him and for motivating him to become better than he was before. Virat and Anushka got married in December of 2017.

In his latest post on Instagram, Virat writes a beautiful message for Anushka, “The person that inspires me to push forward despite all obstacles. The person that guides me to do the right thing in life against all odds. The person that has changed me inside out and made me realise the power of true love. My strength. My soulmate”