India tennis player Sania Mirza on Thursday thanked Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for arranging a UK visa for her son and sister in order to help them to travel alongside her.
"I would like to thank the Union Sports Minister, @KirenRijiju sir Indian Embassies in (UAE and UK), @Media_SAI and the British Govt for helping my son Izhaan and my sister Anam get the visa to enable them to travel with me to the UK for the tournaments. Very grateful @PMOIndia," tweeted Sania.
To this tweet, Rijiju replied: "India is proud of your achievements and many laurels you've brought for India. @MirzaSania as you prepare to represent India once again in the coming Olympics #Tokyo2020 , our wishes are with you & the entire Indian Olympic contingent."
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Tuesday had confirmed that the visa for Sania Mirza's son and caretaker had been approved to accompany her to the United Kingdom.
"The visa for #TOPSAthlete @MirzaSania's son and caretaker to accompany her to the UK has been approved. #TOPS had sanctioned approximately 28 lakhs for Sania who has a protected ranking of 9 in women's doubles to play 4 tournaments in June including Wimbledon," SAI Media tweeted.
Earlier, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had approached the UK Government, through the Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India, to grant a visa to the two-year-old son of tennis player Sania Mirza, so that she can take the toddler with her while she participates in a series of competitions in the United Kingdom, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Sania will be participating in the Nottingham Open, beginning June 6 followed by the Birmingham Open on June 14, the Eastbourne Open on June 20, followed by the Wimbledon Grand Slam, beginning June 28.
Sania, who is a part of the Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), had approached the Ministry requesting help with the visa of her son and caretaker.
She stated that she cannot leave a two-year-old child behind as she travels for a month. The request was immediately taken up by the Sports Ministry and a letter was sent to the MEA requesting them to take up the matter in the UK through the Indian Embassy in London.
( With inputs from ANI )
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