For the second time, India’s ace woman shuttler and London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal used social networking site Twitter to vent her frustration on a major issue when she raised the subject of her application for the Padma Bhushan Award being rejected this year.
Though the Badminton Association of India had recommended Saina’s name for the award, the Union Sports Ministry preferred wrestler and Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar.
The champion shuttler, who has been training in Bangalore under Vimal Kumar, remarked that she felt sad to see that the Union Sports Ministry had not sent her name for the Padma Award to the Home Ministry.
The 24-year-old recalled that she won the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold and her current World No. 4 ranking should merit better treatment. “As a player we feel good to get such a great Award for it really motivates any sportsperson,” she pointed out.
The star performer, who won two Super Series titles in 2014 besides the India Open Gold Grand Prix event, hoped that the Sports Ministry would look into her issue.
“I will be more than happy if Sushil Kumar (wrestler) and I get the award, as we both won medals in 2012,” she pointed out gently, reminding that when she was told to wait for the mandatory five years between two Padma Awards to be conferred to the same individual as per the rule, it should remain the same for Sushil also.
On Twitter, Saina had raised the issue of the State government not releasing the dues by way of incentives for her achievements in the recent past. It was an action which spurred the newly formed Telangana State Government to organise a function and clear off the major dues not only to her but also to other outstanding athletes from the State.
