Sports Ministry Recommends All-Women List For Padma Vibhushan, Mary Kom Leads The Pack – REPORT

The Sports Ministry has reportedly recommended an all-women list for the Padma Vibhushan. The recommendations have been sent to the Padma awards committee, with the names set to announced on Republic Day in 2020.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 12 September 2019 12:22 pm

The Sports Ministry has recommended nine names for the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award, and all nine are women athletes, according to a Times of India report. Boxer Mary Kom leads the pack followed by PV Sindhu, Vinesh Phogat, Manika Batra, Harmanpreet Kaur, Rani Rampal, Suma Shirur, Tashi Malik and Nungshi Malik.

(Sports News)

Mary Kom was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2013 and Padma Shri in 2006, and now if she receives the second-highest Indian civilian honour, she will become the fourth sportsperson to do so. The other three have achieved such a feat are Vishwanathan Anand, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sachin Tendulkar.

Sindhu, who recently won the world championship was overlooked for the Padma Bhushan in 2017, but received the Padma Shri in 2015.

Wrestler Phogat won the Arjuna Award in 2016 and was a Padma Shri nominee in 2018. Table tennis player Batra also makes the cut. Arjuna awardee Harmanpreet Kaur has recently been hogging the limelights due to her heroics in the cricket field, and has been nominated for the Padma Vibhushan. Meanwhile, hockey star Rani Rampal has also been nominated. She is regarded as one of the best in her trade in the world. Shooter Suma Shirur who is an Arjuna awardee also finds herself in the list. Twin Malik mountaineers have also been selected in the recommendation list.

The recommendations have been sent to the Padma awards committee, with the names set to announced on Republic Day in 2020.