Former sports minister Vijay Goel recommended Kidambi Srikanth for India’s fourth highest civilian award ‘Padma Shri’.
Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth was recommended for ‘Padma Shri’ by former sports minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday.
Srikanth became the first Indian player and fourth in the World to win back to back four Superseries titles in a year after he won the men’s singles title at the French Open on Sunday.
Vijay Goel, who is now Parliamentary Affairs Minister, wrote a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, recommending Srikanth for the country’s fourth highest civilian award ‘Padma Shri’.
While the deadline for Padma nominations was closed on 15th September, Goel in his letter mentioned that “it is imperative to motivate the young sportsman by acknowledging his contribution to badminton in India.”
This season was remarkable in Srikanth’s career. He reached in five finals of superseries this year, in which he won four titles which contain Indonesia Superseries, Australian Superseries, Denmark Superseries and French Superseries. He became runner up at Singapore Superseries
Before Srikanth, only Chinese legend Lin Dan, his compatriot Chen Long and Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei have managed to win four Super Series titles in a single season in the men’s singles.
Srikanth is also likely to rise to a career-best number two in the world rankings that will come out on Thursday.
Along with Srikanth, his compatriot PV Sindhu and former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been recommended for Padma Bhushan award.
