Getting back to top won't be easy: Sania Mirza
Bengaluru, Jan 9: The journey back to the top won't be easy, says star player Sania Mirza, who is targeting a return to competitive tennis by the end of 2019 season.
Sania recently had her first child with cricketer-husband Shoaib Malik. The winner of six Grand Slams has started training.
The 32-year-old Hyderabadi says she has to juggle many a roles and it is a demanding task.
"Well, I have been able to play these roles thick and fast. I have been a wife for a while. I have become mother just now. I am trying to get back to the top level. I know, it is not going to be easy, but nothing is worth than doing it," Sania told PTI.
"My realistic goal is to make a comeback to the sport. Probably by the end of this year it may happen. Earlier I had talked about my return by 2020. There was a reason for that. I didn't want to put pressure on myself and still don't," she said.
Sania said her life has changed completely after giving birth to her son Izhaan.
"Life changes a lot when you have an infant in the house. You are not the priority anymore. As sportspersons, we tend to be a little bit selfish all our life. It is all about us. It is all about our fitness, rest and work," Sania said.
"When an infant arrives in the house, it is nothing about you anymore. It is all about the infant. And, that is what motherhood is all about. The life becomes selfless," she on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 9th season of 'The Label Bazaar' exhibition here.
Sania said her son will have to freedom to choose his calling in life.
"I and my husband (Shoaib Malik) are not discussing it at all. He can be a doctor or whatever he wants to be, and that is how my parents have brought me about. They allowed me to choose whatever I wanted to do. May be, my son, will not be a sportsperson at all. You never know," she said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Dhyan Chand lifetime award to be replaced by Arjuna lifetime
New Delhi, Oct 24: The sports ministry on Thursday announced the discontinuation of the Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement from this year onwards and the introduction of the Arjuna Award Lifetime in its place in a bid to "rationalise" the various sporting honours of the country.
Instituted in 2002, the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award, named after hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand, is given to individuals in disciplines that are part of the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, among others.
In 2023, the award was given to former shuttler Manjusha Kanwar, ex-hockey exponent Vineet Kumar and kabaddi player Kavitha Selvaraj.
"The various schemes for sports awards have been rationalised wherein Arjuna Award (Lifetime) has been introduced in place of Dhyan Chand Award. To recognise the efforts of coaches at grassroots/development level, they are now eligible for the Dronacharya Award," said a ministry statement.
"The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) has been introduced and will be given for life time contribution to sports development.
"Further, to recognize the Khelo India scheme, the Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy will be given to the University for Overall Top Performance in Khelo India University Games," it added.
The last date for applying for the national sports awards for 2024 is November 14.
