Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu returned to the country on Monday after her superb Silver medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympics, walking into sheer chaos after stepping out of the airport where social distancing went for a toss.
Chanu walked out of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, flanked by security and clad in a face shield and mask.
“Happy to be back here in amidst so much love and support. Thank You so much,” she tweeted after landing.
Inside the airport, the 26-year-old was greeted with chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai by the staff present there and felicitated by officials of the Sports Authority of India among others.
Once out, the young star was mobbed by the waiting media, leading to a melee and had to be completely enveloped by security personnel as she made her way through.
Later in the evening she met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence who hailed Mirabai for creating history by winning a first day medal at the Tokyo Olympics, an unparalleled feat by an Indian athlete in the history of the games.
“First day, first medal, nobody did it. You brought smiles in the faces of 135 crore Indians and the entire nation is proud of you,” Thakur said during a felicitation ceremony of the diminutive weightlifter and her coach Vijay Sharma.
“You made history. It’s a big achievement,” Thakur added.
The felicitation function was also attended by Minister of Sports (Sports) Nisith Pramanik, Thakur’s predecessors and current central ministers in the Modi Government Kiren Rijiju and Sarbananda Sonowal among others.