In an emotional statement, Indian badminton legend and Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal announced on Sunday that she and her husband, fellow shuttler Parupalli Kashyap, are separating. The pair, who got married in 2018, trained together under coach Pullela Gopichand at his academy in Hyderabad.
Posting on Instagram, Saina posted a message to her fans, making the personal tough choice, “Life takes you in different directions at times. After careful consideration and deliberation, Kashyap Parupalli and I have mutually agreed to go our separate ways. We are opting for peace, growth, and healing – for ourselves and each other. I appreciate the memories and wish nothing but the best for the future. Thank you for being understanding and respecting our privacy at this moment.”
Saina and Kashyap: From Training Partners to Life Partners
Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap were two of India’s best-known badminton duos. Both trained at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy and progressed together in the rankings. While Saina became the second Indian woman to claim an Olympic medal with her bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, following Karnam Malleswari, Kashyap won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, cementing his place in Indian badminton history.
In 2015, Saina became the first Indian female player to achieve the World No. 1 rank in women’s singles, a record that continues to be one of the highest achievements in Indian sport.
Kashyap Still to Make Statement on Split
Up to this point, Parupalli Kashyap has made no public statement on the split. The couple had kept most of their personal life private, with occasional peeks posted on social media.
Earlier in 2024, Saina spoke about her continuing struggle with arthritis, which has considerably influenced her career.
“The knee is not very good. I have arthritis. My cartilage has deteriorated. It is very difficult to push for eight-nine hours,” Saina discussed in her guest appearance on the House of Glory podcast, hosted by Olympic shooter Gagan Narang.
“How are you going to compete with the world’s best in such conditions? I believe I will have to accept it somewhere. Because training for two hours is not sufficient to play with the world’s top players and achieve the desired results,” she further added.
