VIJAYAWADA: Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu was accorded a rousing reception in Vijayawada, her grandfather’s home town, on Tuesday after she landed at the Gannavaram airport accompanied by her coach Pullela Gopichand and her family members.
She was presented with cash award of Rs 3 crore, 1,000 sq. yd. residential plot in Amaravati and a Group-1 job, if she choses to accept it, by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Earlier, a special chartered flight arranged by Mr Naidu flew Sindhu and the team to Vijayawada where she was received at the airport by a group of ministers. From the airport she was taken in a procession to the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in an open top vehicle, with thousands of children greeting her with flowers. A 2-km long National Flag was displayed from the airport to Kesarapalli. The villagers presented Sindhu with pattu vastralu.
The unexpectedly large number of people waiting to catch a glimpse of the shuttler delayed the procession. At the stadium, Mr Naidu broke protocol and received Sindhu, while scores of students from various schools cheered her. He also felicitated Gopichand with Rs 50 lakh cash award. Earlier, the Andhra Cricket Association presented Rs 25 lakh to Sindhu and Rs 10 lakh to Gopichand, while TD leaders announced Rs 25 lakh to Sindhu.
Catching everyone by surprise, Mr Naidu played badminton with Sindhu on the stage arranged to felicitate her. Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswar Rao presented badminton rackets and requested the CM to play with Sindhu.
