New Delhi, Sep 26 (HT): Elated at being nominated for the country’s third highest civilian honour -- Padma Bhushan -- Rio Olympics silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu on Monday thanked the Sports Ministry for the recommendation.

“I am very happy that my name has been recommended for the Padma Bhushan. I would like to thank the government and the sports ministry,” Sindhu told IANS over phone.

The 22-year-old Sindhu joined former India cricket team captain MS Dhoni as the second sportsperson to be nominated for the prestigious award this year.

A three-time medallist at World Championship, Sindhu has been unstoppable ever since becoming the first Indian to win a silver at the Rio Games last year. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad clinched the 2016 China Open Super Series Premier, India Open Super Series, bagged a historic silver at the Glasgow World Championship last month before laying claim to her third Super Series title at Korea Open this month.

In March 2015, Sindhu was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri.

The world number two had to settle for the silver medal at the World Badminton Championship after going down to Japan’s Nozumi Okuhara 19-21, 22-20, 20-22 in the finals in Glasgow. However, she made a brilliant comeback to become the first Indian shuttler to lift Korea Open Super Series title after defeating Okuhara in the summit clash.