July 30: Saina Nehwal added another feather to her cap on Friday when it was announced that she would receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the nation’s highest sporting honour on National Sports Day on August 29 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Speaking to this newspaper, the 21-year-old sounded excited and happy. “I was expecting this award but to get it so soon is a great feeling. “To receive the award from the President of India will be fantastic.

“This is the third award for me (after the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri) that I will receive from the President in the last one year,” Saina said. On joining elite sportsmen from the country who have been conferred with the Khel Ratna, Saina said, “It gives me a high.

“My coach Pullela Gopichand won it and some fantastic sports stars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Vishwanathan Anand, Rajyavardhan Rathore have won it, so it’s a great feeling.” The year 2010 saw Saina winning three back-to-back titles — Indian Open, Singapore Open Super Series and the Indonesia Open Super Series and climbing to the No.2 spot in the world.

“It has been a perfect year for me and I could not have asked for more,” Saina said. Asked whether the numero uno spot was her destination, the shuttler said, “If I do well at the Worlds, the rankings will take care of themselves. More importantly, I am concentrating on the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games in October.”
Speaking about her preparations for the Worlds, Saina said, “Preparations have been going great. The training sessions have gone on well and I am fully fit for the event.” With the nation’s biggest sporting honour coming Saina’s way, the World No.2 will be that much more pumped to clinch the Worlds and with it the No.1 spot in the badminton rankings.

Meanwhile, hockey drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, woman cricket captain Jhulan Goswami and boxer Dinesh Kumar are among the athletes tipped to receive the Arjuna Awards. The selection committee will now submit the names to the government which will formally announce the list in the next few days. Generally, names submitted by the committee are approved but the sports ministry can make changes.
Hockey star Sandeep was in a red-hot form in India’s recent tour of Europe, while seasoned pace-woman Jhulan currently heads the bowling list on the International Cricket Council’s ODI women’s rankings.

Woman hockey player Jasjeet Kaur is also on the list. National record holder in 400m hurdles Joseph Abraham and discus thrower Krishna Punia, who is also a Commonwealth Games medal prospect, according to sources were in the 15-strong list.
Arjuna awards shortlist: Krishna Punia (Athletics), Joseph Abraham (Athletics), Dinesh Kumar (Boxing), Parimarjan Negi (Chess), Jhulan Goswami (Cricket), Deepak Mondal (Football), Sunil Chettri (Football), Rajiv Tomar (Wrestling), Sandeep Singh (Hockey), Jasjit Kaur (Hockey), Jajseer Singh (Paralympics), Dinesh (Kabaddi), Kapil Dev (Volleyball), Rehan Poncha (Swimming) and Sanjeev Rajput (Shooting).