This is sport! When P.V. Sindhu left Hyderabad for Rio Olympics three weeks ago along with her teammates, it was a quiet exit.
But, when the champion shuttler returns to the city on Monday morning with a silver medal in her kitty — the biggest achievement by any Indian woman athlete in Olympics history — millions will be waiting to have a glimpse of the images of the proud parents P.V. Ramana and P. Vijaya giving an emotional welcome to their gifted daughter.
The Telangana State Government is according Sindhu a grand, civic reception to be attended by dignitaries from different fields. Minister K.T. Rama Rao is monitoring the entire programme besides personally welcoming the gifted shuttler at 8. 30 a.m. The mood at the airport could well be electrifying as the officials involved are doubly keen on making it a truly memorable reception.
Welcome archers and banners were put up along the entire stretch as a symbolic gesture and GHMC Commissioner Janardhana Reddy had a review of the arrangements at the Gachibowli Stadium on Sunday.
From the airport, Sindhu, in the company of her coach and mentor Gopi, would be taken in an open top jeep in a procession to the Gachibowli Stadium where the star performer would be felicitated. In a symbolic gesture to signify the feeling of Telugu pride, the Government of Andhra Pradesh too would be represented by its Home Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Minister for Water Resources Devineni Uma, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and its SAAP chairman P.R. Mohan.
“We are all eagerly waiting for the big moment to arrive when we receive Sindhu. In fact, we have not even spoken at length to share her moment of triumph because of her commitments in Rio. So, you all can understand the excitement and unbridled joy of all the family members in seeing her on arrival,” Ramana told The Hindu . Not surprisingly, Sindhu’s mother was already in the preparatory mode for the favourite dish to her daughter – biryani.
Clearly, Sindhu would have a demanding schedule during her stay in the city after her triumphant return in accepting invitations and accolades, which come in many ways like Padma Rajgopal of the FICCI First Ladies Organisation offering lifetime membership to ‘Pride of India’.
