Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal announced her separation from husband Parupalli Kashyap on Sunday.
Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashya, who married in December 2018 after over a decade of courtship, met as teenagers and started dating while training together at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad.
Over the years, the two badminton players made up what was one of the most celebrated power couples in Indian sports.
Both went on to forge celebrated careers – Saina as an Olympic bronze medallist from London 2012 and world No. 1, and Kashyap as a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian.
“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,” Saina wrote in an Instagram post late on Sunday.
“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,” she added.
Kashyap, who retired from competitive badminton in 2024, had also been coaching Saina in the past few years,
The duo’s professional relationship evolved over the years – from training partners to a coach-athlete pairing – with Kashyap often seen courtside offering strategic input during her matches.
While Kashyap is already retired, Saina, 35, has not played internationally since appearing at the Singapore Open in June 2023.
Saina and Kashyap’s separation is the third high-profile separation involving celebrated Indian sports stars in recent years, after tennis ace Sania Mirza and Olympic medal-winning boxer MC Mary Kom.
