Sports Ministry recommends ace badminton player Saina Nehwal for Padma Bhushan

The Sports Ministry today decided to recommend ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for the Padma Bhushan award but insisted that it did not receive her nomination from the Badminton Association of India (BAI) within the stipulated deadline.

"In view of the achievements of Ms. Saina Nehwal, the Department of Sports has decided to recommend her case for Padma Bhushan to the Ministry of Home Affairs as a special case although the last date for making the recommendation is long over," the Ministry said in a statement.

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday had said that his ministry received the letter of nomination of badminton star Saina Nehwal for the Padma Bhushan only on Saturday, but had said it will "examine the possibility of recommending" her name for the award.

Badminton Association of India, however, maintained that it had sent its nomination of Saina for the prestigious award on time in August last year.

Olympic bronze medallist Saina, was bestowed the Khel Ratna and Padma Shri in 2010 and also received the Arjuna Award in 2009.

Earlier, The 24-year-old had claimed that her application was rejected last year also on similar grounds but this year, the ministry decided to recommend Sushil's name even though he has not completed the five-year norm after being bestowed with the Padma Shri in 2011.

As per the norms, there has to be a gap of at least five years between two Padma awards to the same person and Sushil, having got the Padma Shri in 2011, would not have been eligible for the Padma Bhushan before 2016.