This Article is From Aug 23, 2016

Look Who Challenged PV Sindhu, Olympic Silver Medalist, To A Game Of Badminton

PV Sindhu, her coach Pullela Gopichand were honoured by Chief Minister Naidu in Vijayawada on Tuesday

Vijayawada: PV Sindhu gamely played some shots on stage with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today as her Olympic silver medal was celebrated at an event in Andhra Pradesh.

Ms Sindhu and her coach Pullela Gopichand landed in Vijayawada by a special flight for celebrations that are continuing after her grand welcome in Telangana on Monday.

Because Andhra Pradesh must put up a bigger and better show than its neighbour in the Sindhu Tug-of-War, at least one lakh people are participating in the badminton ace's victory rally. A large number of students and fans were lined up on either side of the road to welcome the champ as she emerged from the airport.

Standing in a specially decorated open-top double-decker bus with her coach, parents, sister Divya, and some ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Sindhu waved at the huge crowd. She kept displaying her Olympic medal proudly.

Amid the drum beats, the victory rally began around 10.30 am. It passed through different parts of the city before reaching Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, where Mr Naidu greeted her.

Congratulating Sindhu's parents for encouraging their daughter, Mr Naidu said, "We should study and play, everyone should make sports part of their life."

"We have closely supported Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal and today Sindhu too. There should be Olympics in India. If you want to be a sporting nation, bring the Olympics here," Mr Naidu further added.

Sindhu, her coach and their families are reportedly keen to also take a holy dip in the Krishna river and visit a temple in Pushkar.

Thousands had showed up in Hyderabad yesterday, lining the 30-km route from the airport to the Gachibowli stadium.   

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, born out of a bifurcation two years ago, claim 21-year-old Sindhu belongs to them and so the star athlete has to participate in double celebrations. Sindhu's father PV Ramana is from what is now Telangana and her mother, P Vijaya, is from Andhra Pradesh. Both states have announced big cash rewards and prime residential land and have offered Sindhu government jobs.

Coach Gopichand yesterday said that "Sindhu belongs to India," which her parents have endorsed.
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