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World No 1 shuttler Saina Nehwal presented the racquet with which she won a silver medal at the Badminton World Championships to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an advanced birthday gift, on Wednesday.
Modi will turn 65 on Thursday, September 17.
The 25-year-old Saina was delighted to meet with the Prime Minister.
"I am pleased to meet honourable Prime Minister and wished him happy birthday in advance.
"I am happy to present him a racquet for his birthday. It's really good to know that he follows every sport regularly and also interesting thing is he spoke to me about my matches. He also congratulated me for my World Championship medal," she said, after the meeting.
Later, Prime Minister Modi tweeted to thank Saina for the racquet.
"Thank you @NSaina for the badminton racquet. It was great meeting you."
Saina, who was beaten by title-holder Carolina Marin in of Spain the final of the World Badminton Championships in Jakarta on August 16, was accompanied by her father, Harvir Nehwal, and Neerav Tomar, MD & CEO of IOS Sports & Entertainment, which manages her.
The world No 1 London Olympics bronze medallist is the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Badminton Championships.