Bengaluru, Aug 9: India recorded its best-ever medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics, and a day after the closing ceremony, the country's medal-winners were accorded a grand welcome by the goverment in a dazzling felicitation ceremony in New Delhi.
All eyes were on gold-medallist Neeraj Chopra as the returning Olympic contingent was felicitated at a five-star hotel, hours after the athletes landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The scenes at the airport was of a festive flavour as a huge crowd gathered to welcome the athletes. Social distancing went out of the window as the athletes made their way out of the airport amid utter chaos.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur hailed the athletes, saying that their journey is an "incredible story of resilience and sporting excellence."
During the felicitation ceremony held later in the evening, the athletes were presented with mementos and shaws by the sports minister. The bronze-winning men's hockey team and women's team, who notched up a creditable fourth-place finish cut cakes upon their arrival at the hotel.
While the 23-year-old Chopra added the golden finish to India's Tokyo Olympic campaign, the silver medals came from weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya. The bronze medals, apart from the men's hockey team, were claimed by boxer Lovlina Borgohain, shuttler P V Sindhu, and wrestler Bajrang Punia.
Upon his arrival, ANI qouted a smiling Chopra saying, "It feels great to win gold for India!"
"I am very happy to be back home. I knew India is very happy but after coming back here, to get this love first hand, it feels really nice. I would try to do my best for more such medals," Borgohain was quoted by PTI as saying.
As Sindhu and Chanu had arrived earlier and are currently in their home cities, they did not attend the ceremony. "I only tried to give my best," said Punia, who fought through his semifinals without any protective gear on his injured knee.
Among those present on the occasion to felicitate the medal winners also included Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, Secretary (Sports) Ravi Mittal and Director-General of Sports Authority of India Sandip Pradhan.
"Tokyo 2020 was an Olympic Games of many firsts for India. The success of Team India at the Olympics is a reflection of how New India desires and aspires to dominate the world...even in sports," Thakur said.
"The Olympic Games showed us that with self-discipline and dedication we can be champions. Team India excelled and inspired while Indians cheered and celebrated all around. Truly sports is a great unifier as our athletes come from villages and cities, north to south, from east to west. Their journey is an incredible story of resilience and sporting excellence," he added.
There were many firsts in India's campaign, including the biggest ever 128-member athlete contingent, seven Olympic Medals, first Olympic gold medal in an athletics event, two successive medals in consecutive Games by Sindhu, and a medal(bronze) by the Indian men's team in hockey after a gap of 41 years.
Another big highlight of the Games, was the power-packed show by the women's hockey team. The Rani Rampal-led women's hockey team achieved its best ever fourth place finish in the Games.
"We will continue to support our sports persons and we endeavour to make India a sporting powerhouse," Thakur said. The minister also lauded some close finishes including the fourth place finish by golfer Aditi Ashok.
Thakur's predecessor Rijiju praised the performances of all the athletes and reiterated that India will be a force to reckon with by the 2028 Olympics. "This is just the beginning because India's resurgence in sport is visible now and I am confident that by 2028 Olympics India will be a force to reckon with," Rijiju signed off.
Despite the several hurdles, with lockdowns and no practice matches in the build-up to the Olympics, the Indian contingent came out with flying colours as they registered their best-ever Olympic finish.
(With inputs from PTI)