THE sports ministry on Monday (January 5) decided to recommend ace shuttler Saina Nehwal for the Padma Bhushan award but insisted that it did not receive her nomination from the Badminton Association of India (BAI) within the stipulated deadline.
"In view of the achievements of Saina Nehwal, the department of sports has decided to recommend her case for Padma Bhushan to the ministry of home affairs as a special case although the last date for making the recommendation is long over," the ministry said in a statement.
On Saturday (January 3), a disappointed Saina had stated that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) had recommended her name for the Padma Bhushan in August last year but the sports ministry rejected her application, citing norms.
But sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal refuted the claim, saying that his ministry received the letter of nomination only on Saturday.
The ministry on Monday reiterated its stand and said not just this year, it didn't receive any letter from BAI nominating Saina for the Padma awards in 2013 as well.
