Just weeks after announcing their separation, badminton stars Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap are giving love another chance.
Saina, 35, took to Instagram to share a candid photo with Kashyap, standing together against a stunning backdrop of sea and mountains. Her caption was simple yet telling: “Sometimes distance teaches you the value of presence. Here we are—trying again.”
It was only last month that Saina surprised fans by revealing that she and Kashyap had decided to part ways after more than six years together. Married since 2018, the couple’s story began much earlier—training side by side at the Pullela Gopichand academy in Hyderabad, where friendship blossomed into partnership both on and off the court.
At the time of announcing the separation, Saina had written with grace and vulnerability: “Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways. We’re choosing peace, growth, and healing for ourselves and each other. I am grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward.”
Both have left an indelible mark on Indian badminton. Saina remains the only Indian woman to achieve the world No.1 ranking and is remembered for her bronze medal at the London Olympics, as well as receiving the Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna. Kashyap, too, created history as the first Indian male shuttler to reach the Olympic quarterfinals in 2012 and later winning gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Now, with this quiet yet hopeful update, the two remind us that sometimes love isn’t about never falling apart—but about finding the courage to come back together.