The Sports Ministry on Monday 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 deadline. “In 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 statement.
On 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 Saturday. The Ministry on Monday reiterated its stand and said not just this year, it didn’t 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 on Monday. “It 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 arise.
Who am I to demand the awardIJ Asks Saina
Meanwhile Saina is “upset” that her quest to know the reason behind the rejection of her nomination for Padma Bhushan snowballed into a big controversy, saying that she never demanded for the prestigious award and would respect the decision of the Sports Ministry.
“I didn’t really like the way media put it that I have demanded the award. Who am I to demand for the awardIJ I am nobody. I am a sportsperson. I play for my country. I just wanted to know why my name was not considered. I just wanted the eligible players’ name to be considered. That’s all. Finally what the penal decides is what I am going to respect,” said Saina.
Special Consideration
The possibility of conferring Padma Bhushan to Saina continues to remain uncertain notwithstanding the Sports Ministry’s nomination as the last date for receiving such applications by the Home Ministry was September 15 last year.
However, President, Vice-President, Prime Minister or the Home Minister may recommend any name to the seven-member Padma award selection committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary even at the eleventh hour. Sources also said there is another possibility of Saina’s name having already been recommended by someone else as the selection panel is still to go through the 2,500-odd nominations received this year.
A self recommendation is also acceptable while the selection committee can also consider a name if it feels that any deserving person’s name is left out. The selection panel has already held two rounds of meeting and two more meetings are expected before finalising the names, sources said.