NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday conferred the Padma Bhushan, the country's third-highest civilian award, to India's ace badminton player PV Sindhu.
President Kovind presented the Padma Awards 2020 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
"It is a proud moment. I am very thankful to the Government of India, all of the ministers and President sir for giving me this award. I am very very happy, these kinds of awards give us a lot of encouragement, support and motivation to do much better in the coming future," PV Sindhu told ANI after receiving the Padma Bhushan award.
"Definitely I would work hard and give my best. I have some upcoming tournaments, so I hope I do well and give my best in them," she added.
Sindhu has already been the recipient of Padam Shri in 2015, India's fourth-highest civilian award and highest sporting honour of India, Khel Ratna award in 2016.
Post Rio 2016 silver medal, Sindhu went on to win medals at both the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2019, she became the first Indian to win the World Badminton Championships beating Nozomi Okuhara in the finals.
In 2021, Sindhu took a giant leap as she etched her name in the sporting history of the country after she clinched the bronze medal in the women's singles competition at Tokyo 2020. With that bronze, Sindhu became the first woman from India to become a double Olympic medallist.
The reigning world champion defeated He Bing Jiao of China 21-13, 21-15 for the badminton women's singles bronze at Tokyo 2020.
PV Sindhu was last seen on court in October when she crashed out of the French Open 2021 after losing to Japan's Sayaka Takahashi in the semi-finals.