Tennis sensation Sania Mirza and star badminton player Saina Nehwal are going to be conferred with the Padma Bhushan award in the sports category for the year 2016.
It was announced on Monday that the prestigious award given by the Government of India will feature the two sports queens of India, alongwith Anupam Kher (Acting), Udit Narayan (Singing), and others.
Sania is currently participating in the Australian Open, and is building an array of wins with partner Martina Hingis in the Women's Doubles.
Meanwhile, Saina, currently ranked No.2 in the world, participated in the BWF World Superseries Finals last year, and recorded an emphatic win over Carolina Marin of Spain.
Both the Indian sportspersons also have won the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, as well as the Padma Shri.
Sania and Hingis have sealed their berth to the Quarter Finals of the Australian Open (as on 25 December), and have taken their winning streak to 33.
Saina, meanwhile, is undergoing rigorous training in Bangalore with coach Vimal Kumar as she looks ahead to making the nation proud again in the Rio Olympics later this year.
"It is a great honour and I want to thank the Ministry for giving me the award. I am very happy with the way the last year has gone, I have been performing well. I reached World No.1 last year and now I am World No.2. I am sure this award will give me more motivation to do well further this year," Saina was quoted by the PTI.
"It came as a complete surprise to me. I had no clue. I did not expect at all. There was no news of it at all. When I think that I am just 25 and I have received this award, it makes me feel great. But it is still a long way to go."
Also, star Indian archer Deepika Kumari, who won a silver at the World Archery Championships in Copenhagen last year, is going to be conferred with the Padma Shri award.
