It is said a dream does not become reality by some sort of magic but through hard work, determination and dedication. The biggest satisfaction one can get is not only through victory but also by getting acknowledged and appreciation for one’s hard work. Even the slightest appreciation can have a boosting effect. Similarly, getting an award like Padma is like a dream come true and this not only acknowledges one’s efforts but also injects an idea of performing better in the individual.
Recently, there is a list of athletes which is recommended for the prestigious Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan awards by the Sports ministry. It has sent 9 names for Padma awards and the most amazing aspect this time is that all the 9 names are of women athletes. This is the first time in the history of Indian sports that all the nominated athletes are women.
What are Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan Awards?
The Padma Awards are considered to be the highest civilian honors of India which is announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. Padma Shri is given for distinguished services, Padma Bhushan for distinguished services of a high order and Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished services. The award seeks to recognize exceptional achievements in various activities and disciplines.
Nominations for the Padma Awards
1. Mary Kom
Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangteis an Olympic boxer from Manipur. She has won six gold and one silver medals in World Championships, a gold and bronze in Asian games whereas five gold medals and a silver in Asian Championships. She is the only woman to become World Amateur Boxing Champion for a record of six times, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven World Championships. Due to her efforts and achievements, she is also known by the name Magnificent Mary. She has been ranked No. 1 AIBA World Women’s Ranking Light Flyweight category. She has already received Padma Shri in 2006 and Padma Bhushan 2013 and is now ready to bag another in her bag of achievements that is Padma Vibhushan. If she receives Padma Vibhushan then she will make her the fourth sportsperson to get it after Viswanathan Anand, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sir Edmund Hillary.
2. PV Sindhu
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is an Indian professional badminton player. Recently, she did a great job at 2019 World Championships and bagged a gold medal, thus becoming the first Indian to do so. She came under limelight when she broke into the top 20 of the BWF World Ranking in September 2012. After Zhang Ning, she is the second woman to win more than five medals in the World Championships. She is also the recipient of the sports honor such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Padma Shri. She has been nominated for Padma Bhushan.
3. Vinesh Phogat
She is an Indian wrestler and is the first Indian woman wrestler to win Gold in both Commonwealth and Asian games. She hails from the successful family of Phogats- Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari. One can surely say that talent runs in her blood and thus she became the first Indian Athlete to be nominated for Laureus World Sports Award. She has been nominated for Padma Shri and also there is a hope that she will win a medal in Tokyo Olympics 2020.
4. Harmanpreet Kaur
She is an Indian cricketer and plays as an all-rounder for Indian women’s cricket team. She was awarded Arjuna Award for in 2017 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. She became the first woman for India to score a century in a Women’s Twenty20 International match in 2018. Her name has been forwarded for Padma Shri. She made her ODI debut at the age of 20 against Pakistan Women’s cricket team.
5. Rani Rampal
She is an Indian field hockey player who at a young age of 12 participated in 2010 World Cup and was thus the youngest player in the national team. She has played around 212 international matches and scored 134 goals. Currently, she is the Captain for Indian Women’s Hockey Team. It is also said that at the age of 6, she started playing hockey. In 2016, after the gap of 36 years, when India qualified for the Olympics, she was the one to make the winning goal. Her name has been forwarded for Padma Shri.
6. Manika Batra
She is an Indian table tennis player. She led the Indian women’s team to a gold medal finish in Commonwealth Games with a 3-1 win over Singapore team. She is the top female table-tennis player in India and 47th in the World. She is the only Indian to receive “The Breakthrough Star Award” by International Table Tennis Foundation. She is nominated for Padma Shri.
7. Tash and Nungshi Malik
The twin sisters are equally talented and are justified nominees for Padma Shri. They are World’s first twins and youngest women to complete Explorers Grand Slam and the Three Poles Challenge. Their casual vacation of Mountaineering became a passion for them and the passion made them scale the Seven Summits that are Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Everest, Mt Aconcagua, Mt Carstensz Pyramid, Mt McKinley, and Mt Vinson Massif.
8. Suma Shirur
She is a former Indian shooter who holds a join world record in 10 m air rifle event, having scored more than 400 points in the qualification round itself in 2004 Asian Shooting Championships. She was awarded Arjuna Award in 2003. She won a gold medal at the Manchester Commonwealth Games. She has been nominated for Padma Shri.
These were the Indian athletes who are nominated for Padma Awards this year and hopefully, due to their efforts and achievements they will not remain just a nominee but get rewarded!
