President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi Hail PV Sindhu After Epic World Championship Final

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in hailing India’s badminton star PV Sindhu's awe-inspiring performance at the World Championship, where she won a silver medal after losing in a pulsating final. "Well done Sindhu & Saina. India is very proud of you & your medals. Congrats to Japan's Okuhara for an incredible victory #PresidentKovind," President Ram Nath Kovind’s tweet read.

Well done Sindhu & Saina. India is very proud of you & your medals. Congrats to Japan's Okuhara for an incredible victory #PresidentKovind

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 27, 2017

"Well played @Pvsindhu1! We are proud of your game at the @2017BWC finals. Congratulations," tweeted PM Modi minutes after Sindhu lost a marathon battle to Nozomi Okuhara.

Well played @Pvsindhu1! We are proud of your game at the @2017BWC finals. Congratulations.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2017

Sindhu, having lost the first game 19-21, came back brilliantly in the second game, winning it 22-20 before going down in the final game 20-22 against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara.
 
Sindhu's gallant effort to become India's first ever World Champion ended in a heart-wrenching defeat against her Japanese opponent.
 
In a thrilling final, which tested the physical and mental strength of both the players, Sindhu lost 19-21, 22-20, 20-22 after battling hard for one hour and 49 minutes.
 
Their bodies falling apart as the match progressed but both Sindhu and Okuhara used every ounce of energy left with them to make it an epic contest.
 
For India, it still was a historic edition since for the first time country's shuttler are returning with two medals.
 
Saina Nehwal had won a bronze on Saturday after losing her semifinal.
 
India had one silver and four bronze in the World Championships before this edition. Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a medal when he took a bronze in the men's singles in 1983 before the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bagged another bronze in 2011.

(With IANS inputs)