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Centre allows Shikhar Dhawan, Baba Bageshwar foundations to receive foreign funding

This development comes amid an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate against Shikhar Dhawan, in connection with an alleged case of money laundering linked to an illegal betting app.

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 17, 2026 03:41 PM IST

Shikhar Dhawan, Shikhar Dhawan Foundation, FCRA

The Shikhar Dhawan Foundation is focused on social welfare programmes. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has granted registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) for the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation, the charitable arm of former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, enabling it to receive foreign funding for its initiatives.

This development comes amid a money laundering investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which last year attached immovable property worth Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Shikhar Dhawan, linked to the banned online betting platform 1xBet.

The Shikhar Dhawan Foundation, focused on social welfare programs, has now been added to the list of entities cleared by MHA to accept overseas contributions. FCRA registration is granted to organisations with verifiable cultural, economic, educational, religious, or social objectives after scrutiny by the Intelligence Bureau on the applicants’ credentials.

Earlier this month, MHA also granted FCRA for Baba Bageshwar Dham, the religious organisation led by Madhya Pradesh godman Dhirendra Krishna Shastri.

Till April 15, 38 NGOs have received such approvals this year, according to officials.

An MHA official said that 444 organisations were granted FCRA registration last year, reflecting a steady processing of applications despite heightened regulatory oversight

NGOs that want to receive foreign funds must apply online in the prescribed format, along with the required documentation. FCRA registrations are granted to individuals or associations that have definite cultural, economic, educational, religious, and social programmes.

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Following an NGO’s application, MHA, through the Intelligence Bureau, conducts inquiries into the applicant’s antecedents and processes the application accordingly.

Last month, the Centre introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Lok Sabha amid protests by Opposition members. The Bill proposes the creation of a “designated authority” to seize and manage the assets of non-profits that lose their licence.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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