Former team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday became the third cricketer to receive an invitation to attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Temple on January 22 in Ayodhya. The World Cup-winning captain was handed the invite by the co-province secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Dhananjay Singh and BJP leader Karmaveer Singh at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium in Ranchi.

“Today, State General Secretary (Organization) Shri @bjpkarmveer ji and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s co-province executive Shri Dhananjay Singh ji congratulated the former captain of the Indian cricket team, pride of Jharkhand, Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni ji at the JSCA Stadium for the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Invited to join the prestige,” BJP Jharkhand wrote on its X (formerly known as Twitter) handle.

With this, MS Dhoni is also among the 16 distinguished individuals from Jharkhand who have been invited for the consecration ceremony. The rest of the invitees include senior BJP leader and Padma Bhusan Karia Munda, Padma Shri Mukund Nayak, Padma Shri archer Deepika Kumari, and AJSU party chief Sudesh Mahto among others.

Earlier, cricketers Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar also received an invite to the highly anticipated event in Ayodhya.

The Ram temple consecration ceremony will be held on January 22, while the elaborate Vedic rituals according to Hindu traditions will be undertaken for seven days starting Tuesday, January 16. According to the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra Champat Rai, the idol of Lord Ram will be placed in its position at the ‘Garbh Griha’ of the temple on January 18 and ‘Pran Pratishtha’ will take place at 12.20pm on January 22, adding that the muhurat (auspicious timing) was decided by Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid of Varanasi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the grand event where thousands of people, including celebrities, saints, and politicians have been invited.