Sports

Sania Mirza wins India's highest sports honour

The Indian tennis star became world number one earlier this year

Sports Desk August 11, 2015

Sania Mirza. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

Wimbledon 2015 doubles champion Sania Mirza has thwarted squash player Deepika Pallikal and discus-thrower Vikas Gowda to win the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award granted by the Union sports ministry.

Earlier this month, Indian sports secretary Ajit Sharan had confirmed that the country’s sports minister Sarbanada Sonowal had nominated Sania Mirza for the award. However, he had clarified that the final decision rests with awards committtee.

“We had got a late recommendation from AITA but the minister accepted that and recommended the same to the awards committee. But the final decision to give the honour rests with the Awards Committee,” said Sharan, reported Press Trust of India

The coveted Khel Ratna is the highest honour given for achievements in sports.

Sania, who has won three mixed doubles Grand Slams in her career, added Wimbledon to her trophy cart in June this year by partnering with former Wimbledon singles champion, Martina Hingis. Switzerland's Hingis and Mirza beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.

Mirza also became world number one this year, before winning the grass-court major.

COMMENTS (16)

NBM | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: Only in India can she succeed. In Pakistan she has no chance!

Udaya Bose | 9 years ago | Reply @asliyat: You are living in a world of make believe. If India were to open its borders, half the population of Pakistan would walk over and thank their lucky stars.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Milind | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin - That was a sarcastic one, right??

swetab | 9 years ago | Reply proud of sania

Shivramkrishna | 9 years ago | Reply @yasin yes yasin I agree with you. Imaran Khan should have been Prime Minister of Pakistan long back and wasim Aktam atleast the Sports Minister but both of them married outside Pakistan on in Britain and the other in Australia. In case of Sania she married errr-----------and missed the chance of being sports minister of India. Sometimes marriages can go wrong dont you think so?? All of them have chance to correct their folly.

SB | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: Yes, long ago. Even before she was born, right?

Murali | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: 100% agree with you she should have been awarded at least 30 years before.

observer | 9 years ago | Reply Why is India giving these awards to Sania Mirza. I thought the Pakistanis claim she is now a Pakistani.

asliyat | 9 years ago | Reply @ Udaya Bose, only time will tell, she is enjoying being Indian, Money , Fame , Awards , everything but deep down every muslim wishes to be a pakistani, had pakistan offered her better avenues like i said before, she would have been playing for pakistan even in burqa

Udaya Bose | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: Sania is not the typical Muslim afflicted with a sense of victimhood against the entire world. She is a doer and an achiever and a proud Indian.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: Are you out of your mind ? She is currently world number one player in doubles and you want her to be a sport minister instead of playing tennis.

Woz Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply @Pops: She was being sarcastic,sports minister,whilst she has a tennis career lol :-)

Pops | 9 years ago | Reply @Yasin: What do you mean, she should have been awarded long time ago? She has only won wimbledon doubles in 2015..

observer | 9 years ago | Reply The nation is honoured in honouring a super athlete like Sania Mirza. Well deserved.

Yasin | 9 years ago | Reply Another example of oppression an discrimination of Muslims in India. She should have been awarded long ago and also made sports minister..

SKChadha | 9 years ago | Reply Congratulation Sania .... Keep on Indian flag flying high in sports.

Replying to X