Olympic bronze medal-winning badminton star Saina Nehwal has announced her separation from husband Parupalli Kashyap, bringing an end to nearly seven years of marriage. The announcement, made by Saina on her Instagram account late Sunday night, took the Indian sporting community by surprise. In her heartfelt post, Saina wrote, “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'm grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward. Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time.”
Saina and Kashyap, both celebrated shuttlers, tied the knot in December 2018 after years of friendship and shared training at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad. Their partnership, both on and off the court, was seen as one of Indian badminton’s most inspiring stories.
Saina Nehwal’s rise to prominence began with her victory at the BWF World Junior Championships in 2008, the same year she made her Olympic debut and became the first Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals in badminton. Her crowning achievement came at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won a bronze medal, making history for Indian badminton. Saina has been honored with the Arjuna Award (2009), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2010), and remains the only Indian female shuttler to hold the world No.1 ranking.
Parupalli Kashyap, too, has left an indelible mark on Indian badminton. He won the gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, ending a 32-year wait for India in men's singles. Kashyap was the first Indian man to reach the Olympic badminton quarterfinals in 2012 and achieved a career-high world ranking of No.6 in 2013. After retiring in 2024, he transitioned into coaching.