'Disappointed' Jwala Gutta cries foul for not receiving Padma award after applying for third time

"I'm just expecting to be acknowledged and nothing else, it is the 3rd time I applied and my name was not considered. I feel I've been let down."

Women’s double badminton specialist Jwala Gutta is yet again disappointed with the government as her name was not included in the list of players receiving country’s highest civilians awards, Padma. She openly described her dismay through socail media that she failed to make it for the consecutively third time.

Talking to ANI, she said,”I’m just expecting to be acknowledged and nothing else, it is the 3rd time I applied and my name was not considered. I feel I’ve been let down.”

“I ranked world number 6 in mix doubles & world number 10 in women’s doubles. Still, I didn’t get it. It is a little hurtful. I’m not sure whether doubles players are not considered Indians”, she said, adding, “I am proud of each one of them.”

As soon as the list was announced on January 25, Jwala expressed herself immensely on Facebook that after applying for continuous three years, her name was not considered for a single award which made her feel low.

Asked if she would apply again for it next year, she said,”I’m not sure about it right now. Though I’m not a pessimist. I will see next year.”

Left-handed badminton player Jwala Gutta had clinched a gold in women’s doubles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. At the 2011 World Championships in London, she also made India proud by bagging a bronze medal. She also have won certain medals at different occasions and she also participated at the Rio Olympics 2016 along with her partner Ashwini Ponappa.

On January 25, the Padma Awards list was declared in which several sportspeople received a place, including Indian skipper Virat Kohli, hockey captain PR Sreejesh, Olympic 2016 medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik, and para-athletes Deepa Malik and Mariyappan Thangavelu.

The list of India’s fourth-highest civilian honour also consists the manes of lady gymnast sensation Dipa Karmakar, discus thrower Vikas Gowda and blind cricketer Shekhar Naik.

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