On January 2, 2015, the badminton player Saina Nehwal learned that the sports ministry had not recommended her for the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honors. She was told that a rule required her to wait five years. “I felt bad about it,” she told PTI. Three days later she said: “I just wanted to know why my name was not recommended for the Padma Bhushan.”
On January 5 the ministry decided to recommend her. In March 2016 she received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee. “It is a great moment for me,” she said.