A look into the life of the new ICC Chairman and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, who is the son of India's Home Minister, Amit Shah. Here's everything you need to know about the young cricket administrator.
Jay Shah broke the internet in August 2024 when he was elected unopposed as the new chairperson of the International Cricket Council (ICC). This is a massive achievement for Jay Shah and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), as he becomes only the fifth Indian ever to be elected for this high-profile position. Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, Shashank Manohar, and N Srinivasan were the only Indians, who were elected to a major position at the ICC.
Following in the footsteps of these renowned personalities, Jay Shah became the fifth and also the youngest-ever ICC chairman in history at the age of 35. The cricket administrator will hold the term of an ICC chairman for the next three years, with the option of continuing for another three years. Jay Shah will relinquish his post as the secretary of BCCI on December 1, 2024, when he will assume his position as the ICC chairman.
After being appointed as the ICC Chairman, Jay Shah thanked ICC's board of members for putting their faith in him. The young cricket administrator also ensured everyone that he is firmly committed to restoring the aura of Test cricket. Jay Shah admitted that people are now more inclined towards T20I cricket but clearly stated that bringing Test cricket to its former glory should be everyone's priority at the moment. Other than this, Jay Shah will be focused on allocating more resources to women's cricket.
Jay Shah was born on September 22, 1988, in Gujarat to his father, Amit Shah and Sonal Shah. For the uninitiated, Jay Shah's father, Amit Shah is the 32nd Minister of Home Affairs and is considered a close aide to India's Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. According to multiple reports, Jay Shah spent most of his childhood in Gujarat and completed his schooling from there. After completing his schooling, he took admission in Ahmedabad's Nirma University, from where he attained a B.Tech degree.
Jay Shah's professional journey kick-started in 2009 when they became an executive board member of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA). In September 2013, he was promoted to joint secretary of GCA. He oversaw the construction of Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during his tenure. At that time, Amit Shah was the President of GCA. Under his leadership, the politician's son, Jay Shah played a pivotal role in constructing the stadium, which is now the world's largest cricket stadium, with a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators.
In 2015, Jay Shah joined the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) as a member of marketing and finance committees. It was in October 2019 when he was appointed as the secretary of BCCI. In October 2022, he was re-appointed to the same position. The cricket administrator turned heads when he led BCCI's record-breaking deal for the media rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL). For the uninitiated, when Jay Shah was BCCI secretary, it sold IPL's media rights for a landmark sum of Rs. 48,390 crore. It was the moment when he was dubbed by many as the most powerful person in global cricket, courtesy of the deal he pulled off that made IPL the world's most valuable league after the NFL.
Amidst his massive success as BCCI secretary, Jay Shah was also appointed as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in January 2021. In the following years, he was instrumental in working with the ICC Olympics Working Group to seal cricket's participation in the 2028 Summer Olympics. In August 2024, it was announced that Jay Shah would commence his tenure as ICC chairman from December 1, 2024, as he became the youngest person to be appointed to this position.
Talking about Jay Shah's personal life, the BCCI secretary is married to Rishita Patel. The couple got married on February 10, 2015, and as per multiple reports, Rishita belongs to a renowned business family. Jay Shah and Rishita were college friends, and after dating for some time, they decided to get married. The lovely couple is also parents to two adorable daughters.
According to a report in the Financial Express, Jay Shah has an estimated net worth of Rs. 124 crore. Talking about his salary as a BCCI secretary, there was no fixed remuneration, as they were given daily allowances as per their work commitments. According to a report in Sportskeeda, the BCCI secretary is given a daily allowance of Rs. 84,000 during international visits. However, during national work visits, a daily allowance of Rs. 40,000 is given to the BCCI secretary.
What are your thoughts on Jay Shah's journey from the Gujarat Cricket Association to becoming the youngest ICC Chairman? Let us know.
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