Saina receives Khel Ratna

NEW DELHI - India’s badminton star Saina Nehwal was formally awarded the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award by Sports Minister M.S Gill at a ceremony here Monday.

Saina missed the scheduled award ceremony Aug 29 as she was competing in the World Championships in Paris.

“Ms. Saina Nehwal was in Paris for the World Championship when the National Sports Awards were conferred by the President of India Aug 29. In view of this, the award was conferred on her today,” the sports ministry said in a release.

The award, India’s highest sporting honour, carries a medal, citation and cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh.

Sania has performed phenomenally well in the last one year.

She won two super series titles in Indonesia and Singapore Open and pocketed the Indian Open Grand Prix title earlier this year.

World No.3 Sania recently won India’s first ever individual women’s badminton gold in the Commonwealth Games.

She was also awarded Arjuna Award in 2009.