Grand reception for Sindhu, Gopichand

"I am here because of Gopi Sir [coach P. Gopichand] and his support staff. Really feeling great to be standing in front of you all and getting all this love and sincerely thank you all for all the blessings," P. V. Sindhu said.

P. V. Sindhu waves to the crowd in Hyderabad as coach P. Gopichand looks on.

A beaming P. V. Sindhu said she was floored by the grand felicitation function organised by the Telangana government at the Gachibowli Stadium here on Monday morning.

“I never expected this kind of reception. I am grateful to the state government and to each and every one who lined up on the way from the airport for showing such warmth and affection,” she said.

“I am here because of Gopi Sir [coach P. Gopichand] and his support staff. Really feeling great to be standing in front of you all and getting all this love and sincerely thank you all for all the blessings

“I am hopeful of improving in the days to come and win the gold one day,” said the ace shuttler.

Earlier, chief guest and deputy chief minister Mehmood Ali and union minister Bandaru Dattatreya felicitated Sindhu and Gopichand.

“Sindhu, by her achievement, has become the pride of the entire nation along with wrestler Sakshi Malik. It is also a great matter of pride for Telangana state as she hails from Hyderabad,” he said.

Minister for IT and Panchayat Raj, K. T. Rama Rao said that the government would come out with a new sports policy that would be a role model for the entire country.

“Many have pointed out that it is time to start planning for the next Olympics and have come up with many suggestions. I will discuss this with the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao when these two champions meet him,” he remarked.

“I have seen Gopi chanting mantras when Sindhu was in action during the Rio Olympics. When I asked him what he was chanting, he did not reveal. But what is great is that he mentored Sindhu to a historic silver and made the entire country proud,” the minister said.

For his part Gopichand thanked the state government for all the incentives announced after the Rio result and for its support.

“I was inspired after attending Karnam Malleswari’s civic reception after her bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and dreamt of doing well in my own career. Now, I hope many youngsters from this gathering would take up sports with all seriousness,” said Gopichand.