Picture Credit: Twitter
Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal, a feat which she achieved during the 2016 Rio Games. Sindhu bagged silver after losing to World No 1 Carolina Marin 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 in the final of the women's singles competition. Though Sindhu shown a spirited performance in Tokyo Olympics, she lost to Tai Tzu Ying in the semi-final of the competition and will now play her next game for bronze.
Here's all you need to know about her:
Name: Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
Born on: 5 June 1995
Birth place: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now in Telangana)
Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight: 65 kg (143 lb)
Coach: Pullela Gopichand
Achievements:
2016 Rio Olympics Silver medal – Women’s singles, 2016 Rio de Janeiro
World Championships
Gold medal – Women’s singles, 2019 Basel
Silver medal – Women’s singles, 2017 Glasgow
Silver medal – Women’s singles, 2018 Nanjing
Bronze medal – Women’s singles, 2013 Copenhagen
Bronze medal – Women’s singles, 2014 Guangzhou
Uber Cup
Bronze medal – Women’s team, 2014 New Delhi
Bronze medal – Women’s team, 2016 Kunshan
Asian Games
Silver medal – Women’s singles, 2018 Jakarta–Palembang
Bronze medal – Women’s team, 2014 Incheon
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – Mixed team, 2018 Gold Coast
Silver medal – Women’s singles, 2018 Gold Coast
Bronze medal – Women’s singles, 2014 Glasgow
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – Women’s singles, 2014 Gimcheon
Fun Facts:
1.) Sindhu’s parents P.V. Ramana and P. Vijaya were both volleyball players. Ramana was an Arjuna awardee and also played for the Indian volleyball team which won bronze medal in 1986 Seoul Asian Games. Meanwhile, her mother P. Vijaya took voluntary retirement from the Indian Railways.
2.) Sindhu started playing badminton at the age of eight and then joined Gopichand Badminton Academy.
3.) PV Sindhu was listed in the Forbes as the Highest-Paid Female Athletes in 2018 and 2019.
4.) Sindhu made her international debut in 2009 at The Sub-Junior Asian Badminton Championships and won a bronze medal in the competition.
5.) PV Sindhu did her schooling at Auxilium High School, Hyderabad and went on to attend St. Ann's College for Women, Hyderabad later on.
Awards
1- In January 2020, PV Sindhu was awarded the Highest Civilian Award in India-- Padma Bhushan.
2- In March 2015, Sindhu was awarded the Fourth Highest Civilian Award in India-- Padma Shri.
3- In August 2016, she was awarded the Highest Sporting Honour of India-- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
4- In September 2013, PV Sindhu was awarded the Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in sports.
5- She was titled as the Breakthrough Sportsperson of the Year 2014 by FICCI.
Awards for winning the silver medal at 2016 Rio Summer Olympics
1- She received US$700,000 and a land grant from the Government of Telangana.
2- She received US$420,000 and a land grant from the Government of Andhra Pradesh along with the job of a Deputy Collector in the state.
3- She received US$280,000 from the Government of Delhi.
4- PV Sindhu received US$110,000 from Bharat Petroleum Corporation, with promotion from assistant to deputy sports manager.
5- Sindhu received US$70,000 from the Government of Haryana.
7- PV Sindhu received US$70,000 from the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
7- She received US$70,000 from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
8- Sindhu received US$70,000 from the Badminton Association of India.
9- From NRI Businessman, Mukkattu Sebastian, Sindhu received US$70,000.
10- She received US$42,000 from the Indian Olympic Federation.
11- From Sachin Tendulkar and Hyderabad District Badminton Association, Sindhu received a BMW car.
12- She received US$1,400 from Bollywood Actor Salman Khan.
13- Kirtilals gifted her a miniature gold badminton racquet memento embedded with diamonds.
