Top News

New Delhi: Indian badminton star Sania Nehwal disclosed on Sunday the news that she and her husband, former shuttler Parupalli Kashyap, have decided to part ways after seven years of marriage. She shared about the same on Instagram which came as a surprise to the supporting world.

In her post, she 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.”

Sania also expressed gratitude for the memories they shared and asked for privacy during this time of transition. The couple married in December 2018 after years of knowing each other through the sport they both loved. They both started their sporting journey at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, where they trained together as young athletes chasing their dreams.

Sania Nehwal announced an Instagram story.

Two champions, one journey

Sania Nehwal’s rise in badminton has inspired countless players in India. She became a global icon after winning the BWF World Junior Championships in 2008 and made her Olympic debut in the same year, where she made it to the quarterfinals, becoming the first Indian woman in badminton to reach that deep. She then further cemented her legacy by winning a historic bronze at the 2021 London Olympics, the first for an Indian woman shuttler to win an Olympic medal.

Sania’s consistent performances on the global stage saw her reach the World No.1 ranking in 2015, the only Indian female badminton player to achieve the feat so far. Her contributions to Indian sport have been recognised with the Arjun Award in 2009 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratan Award in 2010.

Parupalli Kashyap also made his mark in Indian badminton as he became the first male shuttler in 32 years to win a Commonwealth Games medal in 2014. Not just that, he was also the first Indian man to reach the quarterfinals in Olympic badminton at the 2012 London Games. In 2013, Kashyap even reached a career-high world ranking of No.6 and finally retired in 2024, transitioning into coaching to guide young talent in the sport.

What lies ahead

The announcement of the couple’s separation marks a personal chapter for two of India’s finest badminton players who have shared both life and sport together. While the reasons remain private, the couple’s message of choosing peace and healing reflects their mutual respect for each other as they move forward.

Both players’ journey on and off the court has been an inspiration for many, and fans will continue to remember the legacy the two have built in the sport as they now step into separate paths in life.