New Delhi: Star shuttlers Sania Nehwal, PV Sindhu and K Srikanth thanked the government Thursday for its continued support and said India can dominate the sport for a long time like China, Japan and Korea if they continue believing in themselves.
The trio was speaking during a felicitation programme orgainsed by sports minister Vijay Goel at his residence here after Indian shuttlers returned with two medals – Sindhu’s silver and Saina’s bronze – from the just-concluded World Badminton Championships in Glasgow.
Sindhu, who won her third World Championships medal in Glasgow, said the future of Indian badminton is in good hands. “Badminton in India as a sport has grown manifold. Many bright players are coming up,” Sindhu pointed out.
Kidambi Srikanth, who had lost in the quarterfinals at Glasgow, said that it is important for a sportperson to get recognition and that is what they are getting right now.
The felicitation ceremony was initially planned at a makeshift tent in the lawns of Goel’s residence but it was later shifted to one of the rooms inside his residence because of continuous downpour just before the start of the programme.
What followed was pandemonium as Goel and his staff found it difficult to control the large gathering of mediapersons inside the small room.
Besides the badminton stars, also present on the occasion were chief national coach Pullela Gopichand and Saina’s personal coach Vimal Kumar.
press trust of india