Shashi Tharoor retweeted a viral post applauding PR Sreejesh for pulling off some crucial saves (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday praised each member of the Olympic bronze-winning men's hockey team individually - but it was his post for goalkeeper PR Sreejesh that caught the eye of senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
For Mr Tharoor, PM Modi's tweet served as a reminder that those who protect the country's interests from attack are as important as those who "score goals against others".
"Bravo @16Sreejesh! Your saves played a big part in earning the medal for India. Congratulations and best wishes to you," tweeted PM Modi, praising the goalkeeper's "spectacular" performance in the match against Germany that helped India win an Olympic hockey medal after 41 years.
Responding to the tweet, Mr Tharoor, 65, said that the prime minister's praise for PR Sreejesh had gladdened the heart of every Keralite.
PR Sreejesh was born in Kerala's Ernakulam district. The goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian men's hockey team pulled off a crucial save in the dying seconds of Thursday's match, ensuring a medal for India.
"The Prime Minister's praise for @16Sreejesh has gladdened the heart of every Keralite," wrote Shashi Tharoor in his response to PM Modi's tweet.
"It's a reminder that he who protects the country's interests from attack and shields it from vulnerabilities is as important as he who takes the offensive and scores goals against others...." he said.
Mr Tharoor also retweeted a viral post applauding PR Sreejesh for pulling off some crucial saves. "When Germany took that last Penalty Corner, they forgot one important thing: There is always a Malayali in every corner of the World, including in front of Indian Goal," read the post.
While many on the microblogging platform agreed with Mr Tharoor's take, his posts on the goalkeeper also attracted some criticism.
"I don't think he praised him for being a Keralite, but for his performance," wrote one Twitter user.
"He is an Indian first," another remarked.
With Thursday's bronze, India claimed its first Olympic hockey medal in 41 years. The eight-time former gold-winners had battled a heartbreaking slump in the last four decades - they won the last of their eight Olympic titles in Moscow in 1980.