Punjab Newsline,Sports:
From Olympic medal to World No. 1, Saina Nehwal’s journey remains historic
Indian badminton icon and Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal has officially bid farewell to professional badminton, bringing an end to a career that transformed the sport in India. She confirmed her retirement on Monday during a podcast, stating that she stepped away from the game on her own terms and felt there was no need for a formal announcement. Following the confirmation, tributes and messages of appreciation poured in from across the sporting world.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Indian cricket star Virat Kohli were among the prominent figures who applauded Saina’s legendary career. PV Sindhu, posting on social media platform X, thanked Saina for her immense contribution to Indian badminton and wished her peace, happiness, and success in the next phase of life. Virat Kohli described Saina’s career as “legendary,” stating that she put Indian badminton on the global map and made the entire nation proud.
Saina Nehwal rose to international fame in 2008 after winning the Junior World Championship. In the same year, she created history at the Beijing Olympics by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the quarter-finals in women’s singles badminton. Her breakthrough continued in 2009 when she won the Indonesia Open, becoming the first Indian to clinch a BWF Super Series title. In 2010, she added another major achievement by winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.
At the London Olympics in 2012, Saina etched her name in history by winning a bronze medal, India’s first-ever Olympic medal in badminton. Her career reached another milestone in 2015 when she became the World No. 1 in women’s singles rankings, only the second Indian shuttler after Prakash Padukone to achieve the feat. That same year, she became the first Indian to reach the final of the BWF World Championships, settling for silver after a tough loss to Carolina Marin.
Despite her remarkable success, Saina’s career was frequently interrupted by injuries, particularly after the Rio Olympics in 2016. However, she showed immense resilience, making a strong comeback to win a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships and a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Saina Nehwal has been honoured with all major national awards, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. In 2024, she revealed that arthritis and complete cartilage wear in her knees forced her to take the difficult decision to step away from the sport she loved. Her contribution to Indian badminton will always be remembered as a golden chapter in the country’s sporting history.