Chennai, Aug 10 (IANS): Actor and director Sasikumar on Wednesday congratulated fencing champion C.A. Bhavani Devi for having won a gold at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in London.

She won the medal defeating her Australian opponent in the senior women's sabre individual category.

Taking to Twitter, Sasikumar, who directed the Tamil cult classic, 'Subramaniapuram', wrote: "Congrats Bhavani Devi! Individual gold at the Commonwealth Championships 2022 London." Bhavani Devi shot to limelight last year after she became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics in the sport of fencing.

Not many know that Sasikumar had supported Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararamana Bhavani Devi financially to help her realise her ambition to become a fencing champion.

Bhavani, who comes from a middle-class family in Washermanpet in Chennai, had seven years ago approached the actor for funds to help her train and participate in a fencing competition in Italy.

Sasikumar had then supported Bhavani by providing her Rs 2 lakh. And now, he can look back at that gesture with a sense of achievement.