NEW DELHI, April 22 - Olympian boxer MC Mary Kom is among a host of prominent persons, including BJP senior leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, senior journalist Swapan Dasgupta, economist Dr Narendra Jhadav and Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Modi government.
The BJP government has recommended these names to President Pranab Mukherjee and a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan is expected shortly. This list has since been approved by the Union Cabinet and the Prime Minister�s Office, said sources.
The Rajya Sabha has 12 nominated members in its total strength of 245. The Upper House currently has 10 nominated members. On the government�s recommendation, the President nominates members from those with special knowledge or having made their mark in literature, science, art and social service.
Hailing from Manipur, Mary Kom is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion and is the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships. Nicknamed �Magnificent Mary�, she is the only Indian woman boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, competing in the flyweight (51kg) category and winning the bronze medal. She was the first Indian woman boxer to get a gold medal in the Asian Games in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. Mary Kom is supported by Olympic Gold Quest.
