PM Modi meets Sindhu, Sakshi, Dipa and other athletes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Rio Olympics silver medallist P.V. Sindhu and bronze medal winner Sakshi Malik at his residence here on Sunday.

Sports Minister Vijay Goel was also present at the meeting. Along with Sindhu and Malik, shooter Jitu Rai, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Khel Ratna awardees, Dhyan Chand awardees, Dronacharya awardees, and Tenzing Norgay awardees also met the Prime Minister.

The annual sports awards will be presented here on Monday. The awards will be distributed by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Modi then took to Twitter to speak about the meeting, saying: "Our sportspersons, our pride! Met Arjuna Award winners and congratulated them."

"Delighted to meet you (Pvsindhu1). Every Indian is so proud of what you accomplished."

"Congrats @DipaKarmakar. You have won the nation's hearts."

"You are an inspiration for so many people @SakshiMalik. Keep making us proud with your achievements."

"Meeting the skilled, talented and determined JituRai was wonderful. Best wishes for his future endeavours," PM Modi added.

Sindhu scripted history by winning the silver in women's singles badminton while Sakshi took the bronze in women's freestyle wrestling 58 kg category.

Dipa finished fourth in artistic gymnastics at the Rio Games.

Dipa's coach Bisheshwar Nandi has been selected for the Dronacharya award along with Indian cricket team's Test skipper Virat Kohli's coach Raj Kumar Sharma, athletics coach Nagapuri Ramesh and boxing coach Sagar Mal Dhayal.

Star cricketer Ajinkya Rahane will be conferred the Arjuna Award alongside archer Rajat Chauhan, athlete Lalita Babar, cueist Sourav Kothari, boxer Shiva Thapa, footballer Subrata Paul, hockey stars V.R. Raghunath and Rani Rampal, shooters Gurpreet Singh, Apurvi Chandela, paddler Somyajit Ghosh, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Amit Kumar, Para-athletes Sandeep Singh Maan and Virender Singh.

Athlete Satti Geetha will be conferred the Dhayan Chand award along with hockey player Sylvanus Dung Dung and rower Rajendra Pralhad Shelke.

--IANS

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