Hyderabad: Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal announced her separation from fellow badminton player Parupalli Kashyap, bringing an end to their nearly seven-year marriage.
The two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist posted a joint message on Instagram, stating, “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.”
The post, shared late Sunday night, sent ripples through the sporting fraternity. The couple married in December 2018, after training together for years at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad.
Nehwal became the first Indian woman shuttler to reach the Olympic quarterfinals in 2008 and the first to win an Olympic medal, clinching bronze in 2012. She also became world No.1 in 2015—still the only Indian woman to do so. Her accolades include the Arjuna Award (2009) and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2010).
Kashyap, who won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and reached the Olympic quarterfinals in 2012, retired from competitive play in 2024 and moved into coaching. He attained a career-best ranking of world No.6 in 2013.
