GUNTUR: World No. 3 badminton player Kidambi Srikanth is the only person from Andhra Pradesh to get a Padma award this year.
The 24-year-old won six titles last year including four Super Series and is looked upon as a future Olympic champion. Srikanth won French Open, Denmark Open, Australian Open, Indonesia Open, India Open and China Open last year.
He also finished runner-up in last year’s Singapore Open. Srikanth’s father, Mr Venkata Sesha Krishna, expressed happiness at his son getting the coveted award. He said Srikanth had won several tournaments due to his arduous efforts, and the country was recognising his services by conferring the Padma Shri on him.
Saying this was his happiest day, Mr Krishna thanked coach P. Gopichand and those who supported Srikanth. Mr Krishna, who returned home to Guntur from Hyderabad, celebrated the award with locals at his house in Chandramoulipuram.
