Sindhu offers prayers at Mahankali temple in Hyderabad

Rio Olympics silver medalist P. V. Sindhu on Saturday offered thanksgiving prayers at Mahankali temple in the old city of Hyderabad.

Clad in 'half saree' and carrying 'bonam' (offering) on her head, the star shuttler visited Mahankali temple at lal Darwaza in the old city and offered prayers.

Sindhu told reporters that she worships the deity every year. "I had pledged that if I win a medal at Olympics, I will come again. Today, I have come here to fulfill that pledge," she said.

The badminton star had last month participated in 'bonalu', the folk festival of Telangana being celebrated as the state festival since formation of Telangana state two years ago.

Sindhu's visit to the temple on Saturday comes amid ongoing debate on her nativity and the attempts by both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to claim her as their own following her historic performance at Olympics.

The 21-year-old was born in Hyderabad but her parents, both volleyball players, hail from Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao presented her Rs.5 crore, a 1,000 square yard land and offered a job to outdo his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu, who had announced Rs.3 crore and offered house site in Amaravati and a job.

Both the Telugu states this week gave rousing reception to Sindhu, who became the only Indian woman to win an individual silver in the Olympics.