PM Modi lauds Saina, Sania; supports cricket team on 'Mann Ki Baat'

New Delhi, Apr 26: Lavishing praise on Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal for climbing to number one in world rankings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday also offered words of support to the country's cricketers, who were heavily criticised after their World Cup ouster last month.

Addressing the nation in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme on AIR, Modi lauded tennis star Sania and ace badminton player Saina.

While Sania has climbed to the top in doubles rankings, Saina is currently the numero uno shuttler in singles -- both being the first Indian women to achieve the feat.

"I am proud to say that two daughters of the country have brought glory...I congratulate them and all other daughters of the country. We all feel proud," Modi said.

While congratulating them, Modi also expressed indignation at "some people losing their balance" at the loss of India in the cricket World Cup semi-finals.

"Sometimes we tend to lose our balance. During the cricket World Cup after we lost to Australia, the kind of words that some people used for our players, my countrymen, this was not good.

"There is no sport in which there is no loss .... If our players lose sometime, then we should keep their morale high in that hour of crisis. We should learn from defeat. I am sure we will take lessons from our defeat in future, won't lose our balance instantly and get into a blame game," he said.

PTI