Indian tennis legend Rohan Bopanna, who is all set to claim the world number 1 ranking in the men’s doubles, was named in the list of candidates set to receive the Padma Shri Award in 2024. Six other sportspersons are named in the list which includes veteran squash player Joshna Chinappa. Bopanna reached his first Australian Open 2024 men’s doubles final at 43, a summit clash in which he will compete on Saturday (January 27).

Notably, the Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian honour of India and is ranked after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan and is conferred to individuals with distinguished achievements in various fields like Literature and Education, Medicine, Art, Sports, Medicine and Social Work among other fields. While Bopanna is being recognised for his consistent performances at the elite level as he stands a chance to his first men’s doubles major at the Australian Open, he will also soon be the oldest world number one when the new rankings are announced.

Kindly Visit: https://t.co/Yd0YLbTRuH#peoplespadma#padmaawards2024 pic.twitter.com/XRux9tkFFF

— Padma Awards (@PadmaAwards) January 25, 2024

Bopanna had become the fourth Indian to clinch a Grand Slam trophy in 2017 when he won the mixed doubles title at the Roland Garros (French Open) He had partnered Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski to achieve the feat. On the other hand, 37-year-old Joshna has an impressive record in her own respective sport. She has won multiple medals at the Asian Games to go with her two Commonwealth medals and four World Championships doubles medal where she also has a gold, which she won in 2022.

The other sportspersons who have been chosen to get the honour include hockey player Harbinder Singh, Mallakhmab practitioner Uday Deshpande, archer Purima Mahtao, para badminton coach Gaurav Khanna and para swimmer Satendra Singh Lohia.

List of sportspersons set to get Padma Shri Award 2024:

​Rohan Bopanna – Tennis (athlete)
Joshna Chinappa – Squash (athlete)
Uday Vishwanath Deshpande – Mallakhamba (Coach)
Gaurav Khanna – Badminton (Coach)
Satendra Singh Lohiya – Swimming (athlete)
Harbinder Singh – Hockey (Coach)
Purnima Mahato – Archery (former athlete)

(With Inputs From PTI)