The veteran tennis ace Rohan Bopanna is among seven sportspersons set to receive the Padma Shri award, India's fourth-highest civilian honour. The Ministry of Home Affairs released the list of Padma Award 2024 winners list which comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri Awards on Thursday.
Bopanna made India proud by winning the first-ever Gold in the mixed doubles with Rutuja Bhosale at the 2023 Asian Games and also reached the finals of the three Grand Slam tournaments last year.
Bopanna, 43, achieved the world no.1 spot in the ATP doubles rankings to become the only fourth Indian tennis player to top the world tennis standings on Wednesday. Bopanna has also stormed into the final of the ongoing Australian Open 2024 in the men's doubles and targets his second Grand Slam title on Saturday.
India's experienced squash player Joshna Chinappa is also set to receive Padma Shri after clinching Bronze at the 2022 Asiad in Hangzhou. Chinappa, 37, won the World Championships title in doubles in 2022 and Commonwealth Gold in 2014.
The experienced para swimmer Satendra Singh Lohiya is also set to be conferred with the Padma Shri 2024 award. Lohiya was part of the swimming relay team that famously crossed the English Channel in 2018.
The veteran mallakhamba coach Uday Vishwanath Deshpande is also set to receive the prestigious civilian award after Maharashtra's record-breaking performance at the National Games 2023 in Goa. Former archer and coach Purnima Mahato, badminton coach Gaurav Khanna and Hockey coach Harbinder Singh are also on the list to receive the Padma Shri award for their distinguished service in sports.
List of sportspersons set to receive Padma Shri award:
- Rohan Bopanna - Tennis (athlete)
- Joshna Chinappa - Squash (athlete)
- Uday Vishwanath Deshpande - Mallakhamba (Coach)
- Gaurav Khanna - Badminton (Coach)
- Satendra Singh Lohiya - Swimming (athlete)
- Harbinder Singh - Hockey (Coach)
- Purnima Mahato - Archery (former athlete and coach)
