Govt to go ahead with Khel Ratna for Sania Mirza

The Union sports ministry has decided to go ahead with its original decision to confer the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award on tennis player Sania Mirza, despite questions being raised on her credentials as being worthy of the honour. The function will be held on August 29.

According to a report in DNA, a senior official has said the court’s notice will not cast any shadow on the award ceremony and that the original list will be implemented.

This decision came on Thursday despite the Karnataka High Court issuing notices to both the government and Sania Mirza following a petition filed by Paralympian H N Girisha challenging the decision of the selection panel.

Girisha is a Para Olympic champion. He won silver medal for high jump in Summer para-Olympics in 2012.

Girisha claimed he had 90 points under the system for award while Sania was not even on the list. He also said the list was based on international tournaments like Olympics, Para Olympics, World Cups and Asian Games and Sania’s achievements in Women’s Tennis association (WTA) tour did not count.. 

FirstPost reported that Tennis Grand Slams would fall under the general criteria for Khel Retna.

“The spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years immediately preceding the year during which award is to be given shall be honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for excellence in Sports & Games at international level, that is Olympic/Asian/Commonwealth/World Games/Championships/World Cup and equivalent recognised international tournaments” is the general criteria, according to the FirstPost report.

Since Mirza won Wimbledon doubles championship, her number one rank in womens’ doubles might have influenced the panel’s decision.