Tokyo Olympics: Mirabai Chanu at Olympics 2020 (courtesy AFP)
Highlights
- Sonam Kapoor tweeted: "Great start! Amazing job!"
- "This is incredible," tweeted Anil Kapoor
- "Thank you for making India proud," wrote Riteish Deshmukh
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu's Silver win at the Tokyo Olympics was followed by social media being deluged with a barrage of congratulatory messages from celebs, cheering for the 26-year-old athlete. Mirabai Chanu's Silver win marked a milestone moment for the country - it's India's first medal at the ongoing Olympics. Shout outs for the Manipuri athlete poured in from the likes of Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, R Madhavan, Mahesh Babu, Farhan Akhtar, Navya Naveli Nanda and others. Aamir Khan, who is not on social media, extended a shout out to Mirabai Chanu through his production house's Instagram. In an Instagram story, Kareena Kapoor wrote: "Our first medallist is here! You've made India so proud, go girl." Actress Sonam Kapoor tweeted: "Great start! Amazing job!" while her father Anil Kapoor added: "This is incredible." Katrina Kaif added: "Amazing," in an Instagram story.
"Awesome, go India!" R Madhavan tweeted for Mirabai Chanu while South superstar Mahesh Babu added: "Off to a flying start! Huge congratulations to Mirabai Chanu on winning Silver for weightlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The action has just begun!"
Taapsee Pannu's tweet summed up the general emotion on Twitter: "And we begin! Come on India."
Congratulatory messages for Mirabai Chanu also poured in from the likes of Gul Panag, Dia Mirza, Riteish Deshmukh, A R Rahman and also Farhan Akhtar, who has starred in several sports dramas in Bollywood.
Mirabai Chanu, who ended India's 21-year wait for a weightlifting medal, won Silver in women's 49kg category. Ms Chanu lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg) to better Karnam Malleswari's bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "Could not have asked for a happier start to Tokyo 2020! India is elated by Mirabai Chanu's stupendous performance. Congratulations to her for winning the Silver medal in weightlifting. Her success motivates every Indian," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted with the hashtag ''Cheer4India''.