Jharkhand CM recommends Dhoni’s name for honorary rank of Lt Colonel

Chief Minister Arjun Munda recommended Dhoni to be awarded the honorary rank of Lt Colonel in the army for winning India's second World Cup.

After cricketers Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is now in line to be conferred upon an honorary rank in the defence forces.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda yesterday wrote to the Ministry of Defence recommending that Dhoni be awarded the honorary rank of Lt Colonel in the army for his stupendous performance and leading Team India to win its second World Cup win, a Jharkhand government official told PTI here today.

Earlier, former captain Kapil Dev got the honorary rank in the Territorial Army in 2008 and Sachin Tendulkar received the honorary rank of Group Captain of Indian Air Force in 2010.

Dhoni is already a brand ambassador for Project Tiger in both Jharkhand and Uttarakhand to save the endangered species.

The Income Tax department is also reportedly trying to contact Dhoni to be its brand ambassador as he had been the highest individual tax payer in Bihar and Jharkhand for the last two fiscals.

On April 3, Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto announced that the state government would allot land for Dhoni’s proposed cricket academy in the state.