In the backdrop of controversy leading to the National Sports Awards, World No 1 women doubles tennis star Sania Mirza on Saturday received the country’s highest sporting honour, Khel Ratna, from President Pranab Mukherjee in the hallowed halls of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Sania is the second tennis player after Leander Paes to be conferred the award. She received a medal, certificate and cash prize of Rs. 7.5 lakh.
She flew to India amidst her hectic schedule leading up to the US Open to personally receive the award. In fact, it was the Sports Ministry which nominated Sania for the Khel Ratna following her doubles title at the Wimbledon that came on the back of her stupendous achievements in the last two years.
It indeed had been a path breaking year for Sania who became the first Indian woman to become No 1 in doubles ranking and followed it up by winning the 2015 Wimbledon doubles title, partnering Swiss great Martina Hingis. In last one year she has won the two Grand Slams and the prestigious WTA final women doubles title, besides winning a gold and bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games.
However, despite the best efforts by the Ministry, the awards function was once again marred by allegations and last minute court interventions.
Para-athelte, HN Girisha moved the Karnataka High Court on being ignored for the Khel Ratna award. The court has sent notices to Sania as well as the Ministry to respond on the plea of para-Olympian but did not put the stay on the proceedings.
The Ministry got another jolt a night before the function when the Delhi High Court directed it to give Dronacharya Award to former wrestling national coach Vinod Kumar.
The Dronacharya Committee had instead picked another wrestling coach Anoop Singh Dahiya for the award. The ministry challenged the order on Saturday. A division bench of High Court has set aside the single judge order for the time being.
Also, 17 athletes received the Arjuna award on Saturday. Quartermiler M R Poovamma, boxer Mandeep Jangra, cricketer Rohit Sharma, and wrestler Babita Kumari could not attend the ceremony as they are participating in tournaments abroad. The Arjuna awardees received statuettes, certificates and prize money of Rs.5 lakh each.
Khel Ratna: Sania Mirza
Arjuna Award: Sandeep Kumar (Archery), MR Poovamma (Athletics), K. Srikanth (Badminton), Mandeep Jangra(boxing), Rohit Sharma(cricket),Dipa Karmakar(gymnastic), PR Sreejesh (hockey), Manjeet Chillar (kabaddi), Abhilasha Mhatra (Kabaddi), Swaran Singh(rowing), Anup Kumar Yama (roller skating), Jitu Rai(shooting), Bajrang (wrestling), Babita(wrestling), Y Sanathoi Devi(Wushu), S. Sathish Kumar (weightlifting), Sharath M Gayakwad (para swimming).
Dronacharya Award: Naval Singh (Athletics parasports),Anoop Singh (Wrestling coach), Swatantar Raj Singh (Boxing),Nihar Ameen (swimming).
Dhyan Chand Award: Romeo James (hockey), Shiv Prakash Mishra(tennis),T.P.P. Nair(volleyball)
The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2015 Award: Directorate General of Military Training (DGMT) (For nurturing young talent in sports), Coal India Limited (CIL) ( For encouraging sports), Haryana State Police ( For employing sport), Sports Coaching Foundation ( For development of sports).
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award: Arunima Sinha (Land Adventure), Jot Singh(Land Adventure),Wg. Cdr. Paramvir Singh (Water Adventure),Lt. Col. (Retd.) Satyendra Verma (Air Adventure),Col. (Retd.) Satish Chander Sharma (Life Time Achievement).
Maulana Abul Kalma Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2014-15: Punjabi University, Patiala.
Published 29 August 2015, 19:52 IST