India salutes woman power
Smashing reception to silver girl... ...No less for wonder girl Dipa
Amidst scenes of jubilation and a sense of pride, Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu accorded a rousing welcome on her arrival to home town and felicitated by Telangana government for her stupendous performance.
The 21-year-old, who landed with her coach Pullela Gopichand, was received at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport by her parents P V Ramana and P Vijaya, some Telangana and AP Ministers, amidst cheers from crowds.
A beaming Sindhu, displaying her silver medal and waving to the crowds, was then taken in a open-top-motorcade along with Gopichand to Gachibowli Stadium, where the government felicitated her along with her coach in the presence of a capacity crowd.
Sports-lovers and fans, particularly school children, some with national flags in their hands waved to Sindhu at several road junctions along the route to the stadium where excitement was in the air.
School children held banners hailing the badminton star, who caught the imagination of the country with her superb run at Rio. They raised slogans such as 'P V Sindhu Pride of India', and many of them also showered flower petals on the motorcade.
A celebratory mood prevailed at the stadium, where an enthusiastic crowd, mostly school and college students, welcomed her amid beating of drums by traditional 'Dappu' dance artistes.
"I never expected such a huge turn-out; it made my day," said a smiling Sindhu, overwhelmed by the huge reception. "Thanks for the support and blessings. I thank my Guru (P Gopichand)...my parents, who supported and motivated me. I would like to thank everyone," she said at the felicitation event, attended by her parents, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali. Dipa Karmakar, who finished a historic fourth in gymnastics at the just concluded Rio Olympics, was today given a rousing welcome on her return home.
Thousands of people gathered at the Swami Vivekananda stadium waving the tricolour and burst crackers to cheer Dipa.
Dipa apologised to the people for her failure to bring home an Olympic medal but promised to do so the next time.
"Before going to Rio Olympic I was asked by Sports Authority of India (SAI) if I needed foreign training under a foreign coach. I had said Indian coaches have a lot of energy to train their students. I am very happy with the coaching of Bisweswar Nandi," she said.
"Shakshi and Sindhu, the two who secured medals in Rio also have Indian coaches," she said. Expressing happiness over the performance of women atheletes from the country in the Olympics, she said, "I appeal to all – save the girl child and encourage the girl child." Citations were given to Dipa by Tripura government and to Nandi by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and minister Shahid Chowdhury.
Sarkar announced that Dipa, who is now a sports officer in the department of Sports and Youth affairs would be promoted as assistant director of the department and her coach, who is an assistant director, would be promoted as deputy director.
The chief minister also announced that the government has taken the initiative to make a world class gymnasium where Dipa would get all facilities so that she could equip herself for the coming competitions.
"We cannot deny that infrastructure for gymnastics in Tripura is poor. Had there been better infrastructure, it is presumed that Dipa could perform better in Olympics," Sarkar said.