Noted Hyderabad-based badminton player and Arjuna awardee Jwala Gutta has complained that she was subjected to racist remarks at a time when her family is mourning the death of her grandmother.

“I am mourning the loss of my grand mom who passed away in China and to my surprise I get racist replies and I am asked why I say Covid and not Chinese virus,” Gutta tweeted.

Gutta was born to Telugu father Kranti Gutta and Chinese mother Yelan Gutta.

“What has happened to us as a society…Where’s the empathy…Where are we headed and there are defenders?? Shameful,” she noted.

Gutta also exposed the person who asked if her grandmother died of “Covid or Chinese virus”?

“This is what anyone will get for any racist comment on my TL (timeline) and if you come near my family,” fumed Gutta, sharing a screenshot of that tweet, which also featured that person’s miniature photograph.

According to the badminton player, her ‘Ammamma’ (mother’s mother in Telugu) passed away on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

She said her mother used to visit her ‘Ammamma’ every month but could not do so recently because of coronavirus.

“How this Covid has made us realise how important it is to be in (the) present (to) do whatever we can for our loved ones whenever we can! Happy New Year,” she added.