New Delhi: Tennis star Sania Mirza, who received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award last month, has applied to the sports ministry to recommend her name for Padma Bhushan, the country's third highest civilian award.

Among the other prominent sportspersons who applied for the Padma awards are double Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar, star shuttler Saina Nehwal and billiards and snooker ace Pankaj Advani.

According to the sports ministry sources, it has received 24 applications for the Padma awards from sportspersons and will recommend the names of eight to the home ministry.

Last year, Saina kicked off a controversy when she complained about her name not being recommended for Padma Bhushan.

The ministry argued it was not possible to recommend since a five-year gap was needed between two awards. Saina received the Padma Shri in 2010.

Interestingly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not recommended the name of any cricketer for the Padma awards.

It had recommended the name of Mahendra Singh Dhoni for Padma Bhushan last year.

Pistol shooter Jitu Rai, shuttler P Kashyap, boxer Vikas Krishan, wrestlers Geetika Jakhar and Alka Tomar, cueists Rupesh Shah and Alok Kumar and chess player D Harika have also applied.