VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas along with his family members felicitated Olympic bronze medallist PV Sindhu on Saturday.The MP described Sindhu as the pride of India and pride of Telugu-speaking people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “I am happy to felicitate the badminton player at her native place Vijayawada. Her parents hail from this region,” he informed.
Praising the dedication of Sindhu’s parents to mould her as an international badminton player, Kesineni Srinivas said all parents wish their children to earn name and fame. But Sindhu’s parents encouraged their daughter to reach the pinnacle of international success, knowing fully well the travails of practising badminton daily with commitment and determination.
The MP recalled that when Sindhu bagged the silver medal in the last Olympics, former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked him (the MP) to bring Sindhu to Vijayawada in a special flight. Later, she entered the city from Gannavaram in a car rally. Students of several schools lined up on both sides of the road from Gannavaram to Vijayawada to greet Sindhu.
Stating that the State government is also encouraging Sindhu, he stressed the need for more Sindhus and said that Sindhu should become a role model for children. The MP hoped that Sindhu will win a gold medal in the next Olympics to be held in Paris.
Chief National Selector of Indian men’s cricket team MSK Prasad said that winning an Olympic medal is just the beginning and Sindhu should bag more medals in future. Former Deputy Speaker of AP Assembly Mandali Budha Prasad, Kesineni Srinivas’ wife Pavani, daughters Hyma and Sweta felicitated Sindhu and her parents Ramana and Vijaya and her sister Divya.