NEW DELHI: The Centre has cleared Padma awards for star cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Olympic medalist and badminton player PV Sindhu and badminton coach Pullela Gopichand among others.
Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at Olympics last year. In March 2015, she became the youngest recipient of India's fourth highest civilian honor, the Padma Shri.
Her coach P Gopichand has also been selected for the coveted honours, top Union Home Ministry said without specifying the Padma category with which they will be honoured on the eve of the Republic Day this year.
Gopichand runs the Gopichand Badminton Academy and has in the past received Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and even Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award.