Government support has been key to Indian athletes’ success: PV Sindhu

Olympic silver medallist, PV Sindhu on Wednesday thanked the government for its enormous support, which she believes has played a key role in India’s success at the international level at various sports.

“We have sponsors nowadays, a lot of people have sponsors. Before if you do well, achieve success and are in the top, then only sponsors used to support you,” Sindhu, who last week became the first Indian to win the badminton World Tour Finals, was quoted as saying by PTI.

“But now there are a lot of sponsors who are coming and encouraging at the grass-root level. That is very important.”

The 23-year-old star shuttler beat Japanese Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in straight sets to end her jinx of eight successive second-place finish and clinch the title at the BWF World Tour Finals. Her victory of 21-19, 21-17 made her the first Indian shuttler to win the year-ending elite tournament.

“If you play well automatically you will do well and then the government support is there. You have the TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) for the talented and top players and also Khelo India,” added Sindhu at the Republic summit, which was also attended by other champion sportspersons such as Babita Phogat and former India opener Gautam Gambhir.

“The government is doing a great job by supporting us, so if you do well they will recognise you and they will sponsor you,”

Asked if she felt any pressure of ending another tournament as the second best player, Sindhu said: “there’s never really any pressure.”

“I didn’t feel any pressure. But to answer everybody who ever had doubts about me, I would simply say it’s gold this time and no more silver.”

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