After succeeding with the string of strong performances, Hyderabad born and Words No.1 tennis ace Sania Mirza was recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – the country’s highest sporting honor.
Sania Mirza is the first Indian woman to achieve the first ranking in doubles along with a host of victories in major tennis tournaments.
The sports-ministry named panel considered Sania’s name ahead of the likes of squash star Dipika Pallikal, discus throwers Vikas Gowda and Seema Punia, hockey captain Sardar Singh, and shuttler Kidambi Srikanth.
Hyderabadi sports girl Sania won the gold medal and bronze medal in the mixed and women’s doubles categories in the 2014 Asian Games and these two performances for her’s have also been taken in to account.The athlete recently won the women’s doubles title with Swiss veteran Martina Hingis at Wimbledon in July.
Sania Mirza is the ambassador for Telangana state and was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian honor – Padma Shri. Padma Bhushan is the nation’s third highest civilian honor.
She also won the mixed doubles titles at Australia Open (2009), French Open (2012) and US Open (2014). At present she is the world’s No.1 ranked doubles player along with her partner, Hingis.
