New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS): Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of his birthday on Wednesday and gifted him the racket with which she had clinched a silver medal at the Badminton World Championships last month.

Saina, who is the first Indian women's player to be ranked World No.1 in badminton, also became the first from the country to bag a World Championships silver when she went down fighting to Spain's Carolina Marin in the final in Jakarta.

"I am pleased to meet honourable Prime Minister and wished him happy birthday in advance. I am happy to present him a racket 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,” Saina told reporters after the meeting.

The badminton star was accompanied by her father Harvir Nehwal. Modi will turn 65 on Thursday.