Delighted Satwik was part of this historic win, says mother Rangamani after Thomas Cup victory

“In this backdrop, this Thomas Cup victory is something to cherish as it is equal to a World championship in badminton,” Kidambi Srikanth's father K.V.S. Krishna said.

India's champion doubles badminton player R. Satwiksairaj with his mother Rangamani.

"We are all feeling proud. This is a historic moment," was the reaction of champion shuttler Kidambi Srikanth’s father, K.V.S. Krishna.

“Honestly, there were zero expectations from our side before the championship. We were just looking at the championship, like the players do, taking one match a day,” the elated father informed Sportstar after Indian men’s team won the prestigious Thomas Cup defeating Indonesia in the final in Bangkok on Sunday.

“We never speak between the matches. All that we do is to engage ourselves in text messages limiting ourselves to congratulations and he replies to them after three or four hours,” Srikanth’s father said.

“This victory is all the more sweeter given the fact that Srikanth contributed to the team’s victory in style. And, yes, we all used to feel bad when the critics had written him off during the lean patch which was a result of poor form and injuries too,” he explained.

READ: India wins first Thomas Cup title, beats Indonesia 3-0

“In this backdrop, this Thomas Cup victory is something to cherish as it is equal to a World championship in badminton,” Krishna said.

For his part, R. Satwiksairaj’s father Viswanadham Rankireddy (a former State badminton player himself) and mother Rangamani recalled that they were asked by their son to see them off at the airport before they left for Bangkok for the Thomas Cup.

“Satwik was sentimental because when we saw him off for the Commonwealth Games, he came back with a silver medal. So, he was sentimental and we came all the way from Amalapuram to Hyderabad and we are glad that he helped India win gold in Thomas Cup,” he recalled.

READ: Gopichand sees India's maiden ThomasCup title glow as bright as 1983 cricket World Cup win

Interestingly, Satwik’s parents missed watching the Thomas Cup final today as they were inside the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Balaji in Tirupati.

“By the time we came out and reached the room, India had won the final,” he said with a big smile. “It is great that the young talent in this India team played a major role in the team’s victory,” he added.

A visibly delighted mother Rangamani said Satwik insisted that she always prays for the team’s success.

“Definitely, we all feel great that Satwik was part of this historic triumph. And I tell you he is a huge fan of Srikanth and they have great mutual respect,” she said.