Smriti Mandhana Named UNICEF India Celebrity Advocate: 'Every Child Deserves to Dream Big'
New Delhi: UNICEF India on Sunday named Indian women's cricket captain Smriti Mandhana as its Celebrity Advocate, unveiling the appointment on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl. In the new role, Mandhana will promote equal opportunities for girls and support efforts to improve their health, well-being, education and leadership.
Mandhana, who was appointed captain of the Indian women's team earlier this week, framed the honour as a chance to pass on the lesson that sport had taught her.
"I am deeply honoured to join UNICEF India as a Celebrity Advocate. Growing up playing cricket taught me that every dream begins with an opportunity. With hard work, determination, and encouragement, that opportunity can turn into something extraordinary. Every child and young person deserves the chance to dream big and reach their full potential."
A focus on girls' rights and leadership
The appointment builds on Mandhana's existing work with the organisation. She has previously supported UNICEF-ICC campaigns promoting gender equality and life skills, along with UNICEF's Promise to Children campaign. As a Celebrity Advocate, she will continue working to ensure girls have the freedom and support to learn, play and achieve their ambitions.
UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey said Mandhana's own trajectory made her a powerful messenger for girls across the country.
"Smriti's journey from an aspiring young athlete to a global cricket icon demonstrates to girls what is possible when talent meets opportunity. At a time when India is home to the world's largest generation of children and young people, investing in girls' rights, leadership, and wellbeing is a nation's smartest investment. We look forward to partnering with Smriti to help ensure every girl has the opportunity to learn, play, lead, and fulfill her potential."
From captaincy to the record books
The UNICEF announcement caps a landmark year for Mandhana, an Arjuna Award recipient who was handed the captaincy across formats earlier this week after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down. Reporting on 9 October 2026 described the BCCI's decision as a full leadership change, with the board appointing the long-time deputy to take charge, while a BBC World Service schedule listing for the programme Stumped flagged the captaincy switch the following day.
On the field, Mandhana was part of the team that won India's first-ever ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title in 2025. In the same year she became the first woman to score more than 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year, setting the record with five centuries. In 2026 she emerged as the leading run-scorer in women's international cricket and in women's T20 internationals.
She is also the world's top-ranked women's ODI batter and a two-time ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year — a record UNICEF India is betting will inspire the next generation of Indian girls to pick up a bat, a book or a leadership role of their own.