AWARD – Saina to receive India’s biggest sports award on odd date

By
Raphaël Sachetat
– July 30, 2010Posted in: news
Saina Nehwal, now world number two, was awarded yesterday with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country’s highest sporting honour. She is scheduled to receive it from President Pratibha […]

Press.Conference.Saina.NEHWAL-06-DIV-YL-IndonesiaOpen2009

Saina Nehwal, now world number two, was awarded yesterday with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna , the country’s highest sporting honour. She is scheduled to receive it from President Pratibha Patil on National Sports Day on August 29 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. A day which might be changed, should the soft-spoken Indian reach the final of the Yonex World Championships, scheduled for the exact same date, in Paris.

By Raphael Sachetat. Photo: Badmintonphoto (archives)

Is it a sign of fate or just a coincidence? The day Saina Nehwal is supposed to receive the award every Indian sports person dreams of is the same as that of the final of the upcoming Yonex World Championships, which is namely one of Saina’s goal this year together with Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

The Indian star, now world’s number 2, however probably didn’t realize this clash of dates when she was interviewed with India’s biggest television network IBN-CNN when she heard the news.

“Players die to get this award and I’m very glad to have gotten it. It‘s like a dream come true for me and it will give me even more confidence in the future,” said Saina.

The Indian is likely to be seeded number 2 in the upcoming event, to be held in Paris from August 23rd to August 29th, which coincides with India’s national sports day. She will have to fight hard against no fewer than 4 top Chinese players and the very best of other nations including Denmark’s Tine Rasmussen and Pi Hongyan playing on home ground. Saina, just like Pi, is one of SOLIBAD’s Ambassadors (www.solibad.net/en)

For the video interview, click here :

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Raphaël Sachetat

About Raphaël Sachetat

Raphael is the Chief Editor of Badzine International. He is the founder of the website together with Jean François Chauveau. After many years writing for the BWF and many publications around the world about badminton, he now leads a team of young and dynamic writers for Badzine.