Olympic medallist PV Sindhu's name has been recommended for the Padma Bhushan award by the sports ministry.
The shuttler, who has done the country proud with a series of wins on the world stage - the Olympic podium being the pinnacle, has been recommended for the third highest civilian award in the country.
Sindhu was previously awarded Padma Shri, the nation's fourth highest civilian award, in 2015.
Sindhu is the second sportsperson to be recommended for the prestigious award this year after Indian cricket star Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was nominated by the BCCI.
Sindhu would be the third badminton player to be conferred the award after her compatriot Saina Nehwal, who was conferred Padma Bhushan in 2016, and her coach Pullela Gopichand, who was given the award in 2014.
Responding to her being nominated for the Padma Bhushan, PV Sindhu told ANI she was very happy and thanked the government and the sports ministry.
A two-time bronze medallist at World Championship, Sindhu has been simply unstoppable ever since becoming the first Indian to win a silver at Rio Games last year. A three-time Macau Open champion, Sindhu also won the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow this year.
The world No.2 shuttler most recently won the Korea Open title beating Japan's Nozomi Okuhara to whom she had lost in the World Badminton Championship finals having to settle with a silver.
(with inputs from PTI, ANI)