Rising shuttler P V Sindhu was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by Sports Minister Jitendra Singh here today.
Sindhu had missed the opportunity to receive the award from President Pranab Mukhejee at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 31 as she was busy playing in the final of the Indian Badminton league (IBL).
Jitendra Singh today presented the shuttler with a statuette, citation and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh during the Governing body meeting of Sports Authority of India.
18-year-old Sindhu became the first Indian woman shuttler to clinch a bronze medal at the World Championships last month. Her sterling victories over the defending champion Yihan Wang and Asian Games gold medallist Shixian Wang en route the last four at the World Championships had enabled Sindhu, currently ranked 12th, to break into top 10.
Sindhu also won her maiden Grand Prix Gold title when she bagged the women’s singles trophy in the $120,000 Malaysia Open badminton in Kuala Lumpur in May.
It was last year when the Hyderabadi emerged as a giant-killer like Saina Nehwal when she won the Asian Youth under-19 Championship.