Ace shuttler P V Sindhu, who created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at the Olympics, today spent a memorable day in her ancestral city Vijayawada as she was accorded a warm civic reception and felicitated by the Andhra Pradesh government.
21-year-old Sindhu turned nostalgic as she recalled the first steps she took as a badminton player in this city, admiring the likes of Pullela Gopichand who eventually became her coach and mentor, propelling her to Olympic glory.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu felicitated Sindhu, Gopichand and announced gifting of a 15-acre site in the proposed Sports City in the state's new capital region Amaravati for setting up a badminton academy.
Naidu regaled the huge crowd, comprising mostly students, by playing some badminton with Sindhu on the dais at the start of the event.
Top percussionist Sivamani too enthralled the audience with his drum beats minutes before Sindhu arrived at the venue.
As the Telangana government sought to "own" Sindhu as the "daughter of our soil", Naidu and his government took pains to proclaim that the champion indeed belonged to Andhra Pradesh.
"Her father is from Eluru and mother from Vijayawada. Both were volleyball players and credit goes to them for encouraging and nurturing Sindhu to become what she is today," he said, repeatedly referring to her as "mana ammai" (our daughter).
He congratulated Sindhu's parents P V Ramana and Vijaya for encouraging her all the way to Olympic glory.
On her part, while thanking the state government for the honour, Sindhu recalled her visits to the city as a child.
"I used to come to Vijayawada to my grandfather's house and play shuttle at the indoor stadium here," she said.
"Thanks to your blessings and prayers, I have come this far. My parents and coach encouraged me very well. As a kid I used to watch Gopi sir (Gopichand) play and got inspired," Sindhu said.
Calling Sindhu "a diamond" who has rewritten the history of Indian sports, Naidu promised to nurture her further.
He also dreamed of hosting Olympics in the future in Amaravati.
"Olympic games should come to India and that will inspire
our sports persons. We are inferior to none. We have a lot of talent better than China or Russia," Naidu said.
"The state government would build necessary infrastructure in Amaravati for hosting the Olympics. It is not difficult," he observed.
"You set up a world class academy in Amaravati. We will get funds from donors, if not the government will release necessary grants," the chief minister told Gopichand.
The Andhra University would confer honorary doctorate on Gopichand, he announced on the occasion.
Naidu also announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh to shuttler Kidambi Srikanth of Guntur, who made an early exit from the Rio Olympics.
Srikanth has also been offered a Group-2 job in the state government.
Another Olympian from the state Rajini will also get Rs 25 lakh and a Group-2 job in the government.
The chief minister also felicitated chess grandmaster Koneru Humpy and Gopichand's wife and former badminton player Srilakshmi on the occasion.
Naidu handed over a cheque for Rs 25 lakh to Sindhu and Rs 10 lakh to Gopichand on behalf of the Andhra Cricket Association.
Earlier, Sindhu and Gopichand were flown down to Vijayawada in a chartered aircraft from Hyderabad.
A host of state ministers, MPs and legislators received them at the airport at Gannavaram and brought them to the city in a huge procession.
Later, at a separate function, Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu also felicitated Sindhu and Gopichand.
"You have now become 'Silver Sindhu' and I am confident you will become a 'Golden Sindhu' at the next Olympics," he said.
At a different function, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu congratulated Sindhu on her Olympic triumph and said she was "part of our railway family".
"One of her parents has retired from the railways while another is still serving," Prabhu said at a railway function.
