NEW DELHI: Tennis ace
Rohan Bopanna
has been chosen for the prestigious
Padma Shri award
by the Indian government. Bopanna's stellar achievements on the court have earned him this recognition, making him the oldest player to attain the top ranking when the new doubles rankings are released on Monday.
The 43-year-old Indian tennis stalwart is on the verge of clinching his first men's doubles major title at the Australian Open final alongside partner
Matthew Ebden
on Saturday.
Bopanna's illustrious career includes being the fourth Indian to secure a Grand Slam trophy, achieved in the mixed doubles category at the French Open in 2017 with Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.
Joining Bopanna on the list of
Padma Shri
awardees is veteran squash player
Joshna Chinappa
, a 37-year-old athlete with a rich history of accomplishments. Chinappa, a multiple
Asian Games
medalist and two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, has also earned four medals at the World Championships in doubles, including a gold in 2022.
The esteemed Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian honour in India, recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions and distinguished service across various fields. Alongside Bopanna and Chinappa, other accomplished athletes chosen for this honour include hockey player
Harbinder Singh
, Mallakhamb practitioner
Uday Deshpande
, archer
Purima Mahtao
, para badminton coach Gaurav Khanna, and para swimmer
Satendra Singh
Lohia.
(Inputs from PTI)
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