Image Source: DD News
Tennis ace Sania Mirza on Saturday received India’s highest sporting award Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna from President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of National Sports Day at the Rastrapati Bhavan.
World No. 1 Tennis doubles player Sania Mirza expressed her happiness at being awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and dedicated the honour to her family and to India.
Sania Mirza (born 15 November 1986) is an Indian professional tennis player, currently ranked world No. 1 in women’s doubles. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked by the Women’s Tennis Association as India’s No. 1 player, both in singles and doubles. Throughout her career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful female Indian tennis player in history and one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (RGKR) is India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports, given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, government of India. The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. It carries a medal, a scroll of honour and a substantial cash component. Up to 2004–05, the cash component was Rs. 500,000/. In 2005, the money has been increased from Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 750,000
