The Indian Shuttler, Kidambi Srikanth has been awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award for his spectacular accomplishment. The badminton new superstar’s stature has grown immensely when he was nominated for the prestigious award by the former sports minister Vijay Goel.
Srikanth became the first Indian and only the fourth shuttler in the world to win four Super Series tournaments in a calendar season when he clinched the French Open last week.
Goel, who is now parliamentary affairs minister, on Wednesday wrote a letter to home minister Rajnath Singh, recommending Srikanth for the country's fourth highest civilian award.
However, the deadline for Padma nominations had closed on the midnight of September 15. Goel acknowledged Srikant for his contribution to sport in Indian and to motivate young sportsman who is an idol for the youth of the country in his letter.
Srikanth had downed Japan's Kenta Nishimoto 21-14, 21-13 in the summit clash of the French Open Super Series in Paris.
Before Srikanth only Chinese legend Lin Dan, his compatriot Chen Long and Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei have managed to win four Super Series titles in a single season in the men's singles.
This season, the 24-year-old Srikanth reached five finals, ending runner-up at Singapore Open, where he lost to compatriot B Sai Praneeth.
Kidambi with many national and international title also became the first Indian male to win gold at the 2015 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold by defeating Viktor Axelsen 21–15,12–21,21–14.The same year he also won India Open Super Series title.