Hyderabad: Waving to the crowd, silver medalist PV Sindhu has thanked everyone for the support and blessings in her journey to the Rio Olympics. She was addressing the huge gathering during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Telangana government in Gachibowli stadium on Monday.

Thanking her parents, coach Gopichand, the support staff, and the Telangana government, Sindhu expressed happiness to see such a huge crowd. “I did not expect such a huge crowd here in the felicitation ceremony, it made my day, thank you all so much,” Sindhu exulted. She added that she would bring more laurels to the country in the future.

Later, speaking during the felicitation ceremony, coach Gopichand thanked the Telangana government for offering such a rousing reception here in Hyderabad. Gopichand recalled how he was inspired by weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari when she won bronze medal in Sydney Olympics in 2000. He hoped that the children gathered here would take up the sport with passion and grit.

Referring to Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, the badminton coach said that the country should be hats off to the women for saving the respect of India in front of the whole world in Rio Olympics. He added that the Telangana government’s cash reward to the players and coaches would inspire the whole generation to continue the sport at higher level.