Sports Ministry recommends Saina's name for Padma Bhushan

New Delhi The Sports Ministry today decided to recommend ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for the Padma Bhushan award but insisted that it did not receive her nomination from the Badminton Association of India BAI within the stipulated deadlineIn view of the achievements of Ms Saina Nehwal the Department of Sports has decided to recommend her case for Padma Bhushan to the Ministry of Home Affairs as a special case although the last date for making the recommendation is long over the Ministry said in a statementSaina Nehwal Pic AFPOn Saturday a disappointed Saina had stated that the Badminton Association of India BAI had recommended her name for the Padma Bhushan in August last year but the Sports Ministry rejected her application citing norms But Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal refuted the claim saying that his ministry received the letter of nomination only on SaturdayThe Ministry today reiterated its stand and said not just this year it didnt receive any letter from BAI nominating Saina for the Padma awards in 2013 as well The Ministry had not received nomination in respect of Ms Saina Nehwal from Badminton Association of India or any other agency for Padma Bhushan for 2014 the ministry said in a statement todayIt is also clarified that Ministry had not received any nomination in respect of Ms Saina Nehwal last year either So the question of Department of Sports intimating Ms Saina Nehwal that her nomination for Padma Bhushan was not recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2013 as there has to be a gap of 5 years between two Padma Awards does not ariseThe Ministry has since received the nomination of Ms Saina Nehwal for Padma Bhushan on 3rd January 2015 from Badminton Association of India The Ministry further added On 1st May 2014 the Ministry of Home Affairs invited nominations for Padma Awards Last date for forwarding nominations to Ministry of Home Affairs MHA was 15092014The Department of Sports circulated the MHAs letter to all the National Sports FederationsSports Control Boards for sending the nominations of sportspersons and coaches to the Department of Sports by 20082014Based on the nominations received from the Federations etc the Departments of Sports recommended the name of Shri Sushil Kumar wrestling for Padma Bhushan The recommendation was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs on 15092014Clearing its stand on twotime Olympic medallist Sushil getting recommended for the award the Ministry said Shri Sushil Kumars recommendation for Padma Bhushan Award was madeafter taking into consideration his achievements viz Bronze Medal in Beijing Olympic Games2008 Gold medal in Commonwealth Games2010 Gold Medal in Senior World Wrestling Championship2010 Silver Medal in London Olympic Games2012 Gold Medal in Commonwealth Games2014 and several other achievements at national and international levelInterestingly BAI had yesterday claimed that it had sent Sainas nomination for the prestigious award on time in August last yearWe had sent the recommendation on August 9th and we also received an acknowledgment for the same from Sport Ministry I dont know what is the confusion In fact when Saina had called the officials of the ministry initially they said they havent received the letter but later said it is there but they didnt consider BAI President Akhilesh Das Gupta had said