‘A Match made in Hyderabad’ – Saina Nehwal & P. Kashyap
True love knows no boundaries and eventually triumphs. In the case of India’s ace female shuttler Saina Nehwal and her husband, another popular badminton player Parupalli Kashyap this phrase stands corrected. From quiet dates to combined victories for each other, Saina & Kashyap’s relationship journey conveys that love is a regular work in progress.
To an outsider, it may seem like a story straight out of a romantic film. But, just like any other story, this one too has had its fair share of challenges. Two of Indian badminton’s biggest names have been together in the incredible highs and troublesome lows of injuries and forms.
They have been a couple for more than a decade, officially tying the knot in 2018. Their exciting journey saw its kickstart in the princely city of Hyderabad, a city that has become synonymous with badminton in recent years.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN:
Saina and Kashyap apparently knew each other since 1997 but only started meeting regularly from 2002 onwards when they started training together in Hyderabad. Probably one of the most followed coaches, Pullela Gopichand set up his badminton academy and both of them started dating in the period while being coached in his academy.
From the early days, their blossoming love seemed like one filled with innocence, cuteness, romance and playfulness. The celebrity couple also shared a healthy rivalry during their practice sessions due to Saina inherent urge to be the best at her game.
In the words of Kashyap himself, their initial years as a couple weren’t easy as they had to keep their relationship under wraps. Being his first girlfriend, the time back then came with its own set of doubts and fears, making them guard their feelings to a large extent.
For Saina on the other contrary, a sense of comfort drew her towards her now husband. Their mutual support, motivation towards excelling in the game and constant travels together made her realize her hidden feelings for Kashyap. Their demanding schedules left very little room for the athletes to spend quality time in each other’s company.
The two got hitched in 2018 after dating for many years and in an interview in 2024 the duo admitted that married life has its own peculiar challenges and quirks, spending six years into their married life.
The power couple has created a legacy in their individual games which boasts of noteworthy records, multiple medals and changing forms.
Saina Nehwal’s milestone achievement was clinching the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and then being ranked as World as No. 1 in women’s singles category by the Badminton World Federation in 2015. She was only the second Indian player to achieve this remarkable feat.
Parupalli in conjunction, rose to prominence with his stellar performance at the 2012 Olympics and a Gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first male Indian badminton player to do so in 32 years of sporting history.
As of today, the couple continues to train together and push each other further as they realize the need to support each other more than ever. Fueled with regular injuries hampering Kashyap’s progress, since 2018 he has opted for a role of a coach; a move which was evident and has helped Saina up her game even more.
A real partnership involves being each other’s best friends in both highs and lows, and Saina & Kashyap exemplify this completely. The culmination of romance in sports is a perfect match made in heaven, or should we say a match made in Hyderabad (in this case)!
