If we’re looking for someone to blame for badminton’s rise in prominence in India, two names come to mind: Saina Nehwal and Pusarla Venkata Sindhu. These two ladies have effectively revolutionized badminton’s standing in the country. Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu guaranteed that we watched transfixed, our hands clutched in frantic prayer as both Nehwal and Sindhu went for massive scores in a country that is famous for counting its rosary for cricket. Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu have been the subject of tremendous fanfare in India, from the World Championships through the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and even the Olympics.
While it is clearly inappropriate to compare the two darlings of Indian badminton – Saina and Sindhu – statistics must be considered. Sports, particularly ones like tennis and badminton where there is no possibility of a draw or a common victory, aren’t the friendliest of companies. The court becomes a battleground, and only one person can leave successful.
PV Sindhu
Sindhu, broke into the top 20 in the BWF World Ranking in September 2012. With the exception of 2015, she has won a medal at every world tournament since 2013. She is only the second woman to win five or more medals at the world championships, following Zhang Ning. She was the first Indian badminton player to reach a final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. After losing to Carolina Marin of Spain, she was awarded the silver medal. She earned a bronze medal in her second consecutive Olympic appearance in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, making her the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals.
Sindhu earned her maiden superseries victory in 2016 at the China Open, then went on to win four more finals in 2017 in South Korea and India. She also won silver medals in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Asian Games, as well as two bronze medals at the Uber Cup.
Sindhu made Forbes’ list of Highest-Paid Female Athletes in 2018 and 2019 with earnings of US$8.5 million and $5.5 million, respectively. She is the recipient of India’s fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, as well as the sports honor Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. In January 2020, she was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award.
Saina Nehwal
In badminton, Nehwal has set a number of records for India. She is the first Indian to have won a medal in every significant BWF individual event, including the Olympics, World Championships, and World Junior Championships. She is the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton, as well as the first Indian to reach the final of the BWF World Championships and the only Indian to win the BWF World Junior Championships. Nehwal made history in 2006 by being the first Indian woman and the youngest Asian to win a four-star championship. She also holds the reputation of being the first Indian to win a World Series championship. She led the Indian team at the 2014 Uber Cup and was unbeaten, helping India earn bronze. It was India’s first medal in a major team event hosted by the BWF. Nehwal became the first Indian to win two Commonwealth Games singles gold medals (2010 and 2018). She is credited with expanding the prevalence of badminton in India. She is one of the most prosperous Indian athletes. The Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, was bestowed on her by the government of India in 2016. The Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, was bestowed on her by the government of India in 2016. The Government of India had already bestowed upon her the nation’s highest athletic honors, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. Nehwal is a philanthropist who was named the 18th most generous athlete in the world.
