‘Back Home In Bengaluru’: PV Sindhu Returns To India After Being Stranded In Dubai

Hyderabad, March 3: India’s two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu has returned to her home in Bengaluru after being stranded in Dubai Airport after the conflict between the USA, Israel and Iran resulted in the closure of the airspace in the Gulf region. Sindhu was initially supposed to take part in the All England championships, but the travel disruptions changed her plans, and she will not take part in the tournament.

The Indian ace shuttler had a narrow escape after an explosion occurred near her place of stay on March 1. Sindhu has now thanked the ground teams, Dubai authorities and airport staff for ensuring that she and her team are on their way back home safely.

Sindhu said in her post that it is now time for her to reset and figure out the next steps.

“The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back at my house. A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say.”

“For now, it’s time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps,” said Sindhu.

Sindhu stranded in Dubai

Sindhu arrived in Dubai as the city was her connecting point to her destination, Birmingham, where she was going for the All England Championships. As tensions in the Middle East escalated, the operations at one of the busiest airports across the globe came to a halt. It resulted in thousands of travellers, including two Olympic medalists.

The Indian shuttler and her team had a narrow escape after an explosion occurred near their place of residence in the city. Sindhu revealed the moment on the social media platform, saying that her coach had to move away quickly as he was closest to the smoke and debris. She also added that the team was moved to a safer location with the assistance of Dubai Airport authorities and the Indian High Commission.

Ranked 12 in the world, Sindhu was scheduled to take on Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the first round of the All England Championships. Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetti won their respective first-round matches.