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Lala Amarnath Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

Quick Info

Date of birth11 September 1911

Age88 Years

BirthplaceGopipur, Kapurthala State, Punjab, India

ProfessionFormer Indian Cricketer (all-rounder)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseKailash Kumari

FamilySons: Mohinder Amarnath, Rajinder Amarnath, Surinder Amarnath; Daughters: Kamala, Dolly

Lala Amarnath Biography

Lala Amarnath (born Nanik Amarnath Bharadwaj) was a pioneering Indian all-rounder whose international career stretched from the 1930s into the 1950s. He is

Early life and background

Nanik Amarnath Bharadwaj, better known as Lala Amarnath, was born on 11 September 1911 in Gopipur, Kapurthala State in Punjab. He grew up in pre-partition India and spent formative years in Lahore before moving to Aligarh to study and play for his university side. Educated at Randhir High School, Kapurthala, and later at Aligarh Muslim University, Amarnath developed his cricketing skills under local coaches and in the patronage of regional teams, including a period playing for the Maharaja of Patiala’s eleven after being noticed by coach Frank Tarrant.

Career

Amarnath made his Test debut for India on 15 December 1933 against England in Bombay. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler, he quickly established himself as an aggressive cricketer comfortable both with the bat and the ball. In his debut match he top-scored in both innings, converting a modest first-innings contribution into a century in the second.

Across a long international career that extended until December 1955, when he played his last Test against Pakistan in Kolkata, Amarnath compiled notable achievements that helped shape early Indian cricket. He became the first Indian to score a Test century and the first Indian all-rounder to register a fifty and take five wickets in the same Test. As captain, he led India to several important milestones: he was the fourth man to captain the national side and became the first Indian captain to lead in ten or more Tests. Under his leadership India recorded its first Test victory over England at Madras in 1952 and secured its first series success against Pakistan that same year.

Domestically Amarnath played for a wide array of sides, representing five different states in the Ranji Trophy — a unique distinction. Teams he turned out for included Gujarat, the Hindus, Maharaja of Patiala’s eleven, Railways, Southern Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. His Test bowling produced 45 wickets in 35 innings at an average of 32.91, and he produced memorable spells on sticky wickets and in tours to England and Australia. In 1946 he came close to a hat-trick against England and took five wickets in an innings in that series. During the 1947–48 Australian tour he produced prolific first-class scores — 144, 171 and an unbeaten 228 — and finished a pre-series first-class campaign with over 1,100 runs at an impressive average.

Amarnath also served Indian cricket after his playing days. He became chairman of the national selection committee in 1955 and remained a strong, outspoken presence in the game as a commentator and selector. One of his notable selection decisions came in 1959–60 when he backed Jasu Patel for the Test against Australia at Kanpur; Patel’s 14 wickets helped India to a famous win.

Public profile

Known to teammates and opponents as Lala, he carried a reputation for a short temper but also for sharp cricketing instincts and a robust sense of discipline. He was an outspoken figure off the field and unafraid to voice strong opinions about players and tactics. At the same time he was a celebrated entertainer of anecdotes and remembered for his wit. Beyond cricket he enjoyed cooking and was reported to be skilled in preparing Mughlai and Continental dishes.

Amarnath’s career brought several formal honors: he received Honorary Life Membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1960, was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991, and in 1994 he received the C. K. Nayudu Award for outstanding contribution to Indian cricket. In recognition of his legacy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India established an award in his name in 2011 to honour the best all-rounder in the Ranji Trophy and in domestic limited-overs competitions.

Personal life

Lala Amarnath married Kailash Kumari on 8 December 1938. The couple had five children: three sons — Mohinder, Rajinder and Surinder — and two daughters, Kamala and Dolly. Two of his sons, Mohinder and Surinder, went on to play international cricket for India, while Rajinder played at first-class level. Mohinder Amarnath later gained wider recognition for his performances in India’s 1983 World Cup campaign.

Controversies and temperament

His combative nature was visible on a number of occasions. During the 1936 tour of England he was sent home from the tour on disciplinary grounds, an episode that kept him out of Test cricket for several years. Reports from his playing days also recount stern moments in domestic matches, including an incident in which he reprimanded his son Surinder on the field for a perceived mistake.

Latest updates

Lala Amarnath passed away in New Delhi on 5 August 2000 at the age of 88. His influence on Indian cricket is preserved through the award that bears his name and through the achievements of his sons and the generations of players who followed in a game he helped to shape.
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Career Highlights

  1. First Indian to score a Test century.
  2. Only cricketer to dismiss Don Bradman hit-wicket.
  3. First Indian allrounder to register a fifty and capture five wickets in an innings in the same Test.
  4. Fourth Indian Test captain and first to lead in ten or more matches.
  5. First cricketer to play for five states in the Ranji Trophy.
  6. First Indian batsman to register centuries in each innings on English soil.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Lala Amarnath born?

11 September 1911

What is Lala Amarnath known for?

Former Indian Cricketer (all-rounder)

What is Lala Amarnath’s marital status?

Married

Who is Lala Amarnath married to?

Kailash Kumari