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Farokh Engineer Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth25 February 1938

Age87 Years

BirthplaceBombay (now Mumbai), Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra), British India

ProfessionCricketer (Wicket-keeper)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseJulie Engineer

FamilyChildren: Minnie Engineer, Tina Engineer, Scarlett Engineer, Roxanne Engineer

Farokh Engineer Biography

Farokh Maneksha Engineer is a former Indian international wicketkeeper-batsman known for his agility behind the stumps and courageous batting in the 1960s–

Early life and background

Farokh Maneksha Engineer was born on 25 February 1938 in Bombay (now Mumbai) in the Bombay Presidency of British India. Raised in a Parsi family, he grew up in an environment that encouraged sport: his father played club cricket and tennis and his brother was also involved in club cricket. Engineer attended Don Bosco High School in Matunga and later studied at R. A. Podar College of Commerce & Economics in Matunga. As a young man he trained for a private pilot license at the Bombay Flying Club, but family concerns led him to focus on cricket instead.

Engineer learned his early cricket in the Dadar Parsi Colony Sporting Club and the Cricket Club of India. He made his first-class debut in December 1958 for a Combined Universities side against the touring West Indies while representing Bombay University. Those formative years established him as a wicketkeeper with quick hands and a flair for batting.

Career

Engineer made his Test debut for India on 1 December 1961 against England at Kanpur and went on to represent India in 46 Test matches. A right-handed batsman and right-arm legbreak bowler who was primarily selected for his wicketkeeping, he played 87 innings in Tests, scoring 2,611 runs with two centuries and 16 fifties and a highest score of 121. Behind the stumps he completed 66 catches and 16 stumpings in Test cricket.

He established himself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper through much of the late 1960s, a period when India fielded a potent spin attack. A defining moment in his batting came against the West Indies in Chennai (Chepauk) in 1967, when a determined century helped India to 404 and secured his place in the side for several years. Between 1967 and 1970 he featured in all of India’s matches, often opening the batting and playing a vital role both with the gloves and the bat.

Engineer’s domestic career included long spells with Bombay and, from 1968, Lancashire in England. His performances on tours of England and elsewhere led to county opportunities; he moved to Lancashire in 1968 and balanced county commitments with international duty. He was part of the Rest of the World side selected in 1970 and featured in representative fixtures against Australia in 1971–72. His return to England with India in 1971 produced useful contributions, including a crucial 59 in India’s first Test victory in England and a match series aggregate that underlined his value as a middle-order run scorer when required.

In One Day Internationals he appeared five times, scoring 114 runs with a top score of 54 and completing three catches and one stumping. Across formats, Engineer combined athletic wicketkeeping with a reputation for aggressive, crowd-pleasing batting.

Public profile

Engineer’s on-field success attracted commercial interest. He became the first Indian cricketer to endorse Brylcreem, beginning that association in 1965. His playing style, charisma and visibility in the 1960s made him a popular figure in Indian cricket circles and among the public. He won the Indian Cricketer of the Year in 1965, was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1973, received a BCCI award for outstanding contribution to Indian cricket in 2013, and was honoured with the CEAT Lifetime Achievement award in 2018.

Personal life

Farokh Engineer is married to Julie Engineer. The couple have four daughters: Minnie, Tina, Scarlett and Roxanne. His parents were Maneksha Engineer, a doctor, and Minnie Engineer, a homemaker. He also has a brother named Darius. Engineer’s religion is Zoroastrianism and he identifies as Parsee. Outside cricket, he has long enjoyed cycling.

Latest updates

In the later stages of his public life he has continued to be recognised by Indian cricketing institutions for his contributions and was the recipient of several lifetime and service awards. Though his playing days concluded long ago, his innings, wicketkeeping and role as a high-profile sportsman during the 1960s and 1970s remain a prominent part of his legacy.
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Recent Work

Award for Outstanding contribution to Indian cricket

Recognised by the BCCI for his long-term contributions to Indian cricket.

2013
Ceat Lifetime Achievement award

Received a lifetime achievement honour recognising his career and impact on the game.

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Made Test debut for India on 1 December 1961 at Kanpur
  2. Played 46 Test matches, scoring 2,611 runs with two centuries
  3. First Indian cricketer to endorse Brylcreem (1965)
  4. Indian Cricketer of the Year (1965)
  5. Awarded the Padma Shri (1973)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Farokh Engineer born?

25 February 1938

What is Farokh Engineer known for?

Cricketer (Wicket-keeper)

What is Farokh Engineer’s marital status?

Married

Who is Farokh Engineer married to?

Julie Engineer