Saina Nehwal issues visa plea to External Affairs Minister ahead of Denmark Open to start next week

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Image Courtesy: Reuters

Saina Nehwal, the Indian badminton star and former world no. 1 is due her permit to enter Denmark ahead of the Denmark Open, which is to start on 15th October, and has approached the External Affairs minister through social media.

Image Courtesy: Reuters

The 29 year old wrote an appeal to Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs of India via her official Twitter, seeking assistance to get her and her trainer’s visas processed before next week.

“I have an urgent request regarding visa for me and my trainer to Denmark. I have a tournament next week in Odense and we don’t have our visas processed yet. Our matches are starting on Tuesday next week,” Saina tweeted, mentioning Jaishankar at the end of the post.

Mr Sanjeev Gupta, the CEO of Digital India Corporation came up with a prompt reply, assuring the shuttler that he is working to get their visas clearned, but also said the delay is due to the Embassy of Denmark requiring the applicant’s presence, in this case Saina and her coach at VFS Global.

Saina, currently ranked 8th, was the finalist in last year’s Danisa Denmark Open, losing out the trophy to Tai Tzu-ying, who hails from Taiwan in the final, and will take on Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi in the first round of this year’s tournament.

Saina unfortunately had to see a first round exit in last month’s Koeran Open, along with her compatriot PV Sindhu, who will also be seen in action next week in Odense.