New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hosted national sports awardees, including Rio Olympics silver medallist P.V. Sindhu and bronze winner Sakshi Malik, at his 7 Race Course Road residence here.

The Prime Minister greeted the athletes on the eve of the National Sports Day. Ace shooter Jitu Rai and gymnast Dipa Karmakar were also in attendance.

All the four athletes will be conferred with the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award by President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday.

“I showed him [Mr. Modi] my medal and he was very happy. He congratulated me and said you did really well and made the country proud. That really made my day. It was a pleasure talking to him and I felt very happy,” said Ms. Sindhu after meeting the Prime Minister.

Asked what Mr. Modi spoke to her, Sakshi said: “Prime Minister said to me ‘maarna mat mujhe’ [I hope you won’t hit me] and I told him that we wrestlers are very aggressive on the mat but off it, we are very soft hearted.”

The 23-year-old Sakshi, who was sporting a ‘Rio 2016’ pendent, said it was gifted to her by Gopichand’s sister in Hyderabad earlier in the day.

Sports Minister Vijay Goel, who was present on the occasion, said, “All the Khel Ratna awardees, Arjuna awardees, Dhyanchand awardees, Dronacharya awardees, Tenzing Norgay awardees met Mr. Modi and they also included the two medallists from the Rio Olympics.”