Tennis luminary Rohan Bopanna, poised to claim the top spot in the world doubles rankings, was chosen on Thursday to receive the esteemed Padma Shri accolade, alongside six other athletes, including seasoned squash player Joshna Chinappa.
The Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian honour in India, following the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. It is conferred for outstanding contributions in any field.
Bopanna, a consistently exceptional performer, is set to become the oldest world number one when the new rankings are unveiled on Monday. The 43-year-old has a chance to secure his first men's doubles major title on Saturday as he competes in the Australian Open final with his partner, Matthew Ebden.
In 2017, Bopanna became the fourth Indian to clinch a Grand Slam trophy, winning the mixed doubles title at the French Open alongside Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.
Joshna, at 37, has an impressive track record with multiple medals at the Asian Games, two Commonwealth Games medals and four World Championships doubles medals, including a gold in 2022.
The other athletes selected for the Padma Shri honour include hockey player Harbinder Singh, Mallakhmab practitioner Uday Deshpande, archer Purima Mahtao, para badminton coach Gaurav Khanna and para swimmer Satendra Singh Lohia. They are being recognized for their significant achievements and contributions to Indian sports.
(with PTI inputs)
