Jewel in the crown,officially

Saina Nehwal strongly believes she left the PT Usha-led selection panel of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in no doubt,while emerging the unanimous choice for the nations highest sporting honour announced on Friday....

Saina Nehwal strongly believes she left the PT Usha-led selection panel of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in no doubt,while emerging the unanimous choice for the nations highest sporting honour announced on Friday.

I think with three titles,I left them with no option this year, Nehwal said,confident of living up to the tag of a Khel Ratna awardee by cornering many more glories in the coming months. The World No 2 Indian reckons the recognition is as much about what shes accomplished till now,as it is about what she expects to achieve in the coming years.

Im happy. And I was frankly expecting it after winning 3 back to back titles in India,Singapore and Indonesia. Now,Im firmly focussed on the World Championships, she said,adding that the best way to celebrate was by putting in that extra effort into her days training session.

Nehwals successful summer apart,the 20-year-old Hyderabadi reached the semifinals of the prestigious All England championships earlier in the year,and has logged enough points to climb to No 2 in the world. And though shes plentifully flattered by being placed in the same list as Vishwanathan Anand,Sachin Tendulkar,Leander Paes and Abhinav Bindra not to mention coach Pullela Gopichand she is aware that it only means that her hard-work doesnt stop here. Its a compliment being compared to all those names. I remember we were just kids of 9 or 10 when Gopi Sir won the award for 2000-1,and then wed believed it was because of the one All England title. Slowly we realised he had earned it at the end of many years of dedication and achievement. I definitely want to continue in the same vein, she added.

Triumphs have come in threes for Nehwal,who besides the three titles,also completes a year of three of Indias top recognitions from the Government,besides the rare honour of being applauded in the Lok Sabha earlier in the week. Winning the Arjuna Award,then the Padmashree and now this makes me very happy. Its big for badminton as a sport too which has been in the limelight for a while. Young shuttlers will now know be more inspired, she says. Medals at Commonwealth Games,and then a sterner test at the Asian Games beckon later this year.

Sandeep tipped for Arjuna

Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh,Indian womens cricket captain Jhulan Goswami and boxer Dinesh Kumar are among the top sportspersons who are tipped to receive the Arjuna Awards in recognition of their outstanding achievements last year.