Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and badminton ace Saina Nehwal were on Monday named for the prestigious Padma Bhushan, the country's third highest civilian award.
Both players performed outstandingly last year. Sania enoyed a superb run in 2015 when she won nine women's doubles trophies including two Grand Slams along with veteran Swiss partner Martina Hingis.
Saina is a recipient of the Arjuna Award (2009), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009-2010) and the Padma Shri (2010).
Sania too has won the Arjuna Award (2004), Padma Shri (2006) and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2015).