Saina Nehwal (; born 17 March 1990) is an Indian badminton player. A former world no. 1, she has won 24 international titles, which includes ten Superseries titles. Although she reached the world's 2nd in 2009, it was only in 2015 that she was able to attain the world no. 1 ranking, thereby becoming the only female player from India and thereafter the second Indian player – after Prakash Padukone – to achieve this feat.[7] She has represented India three times in the Olympics, winning a bronze medal in her second appearance at London 2012.[8][9][10][11]
Nehwal has achieved several milestones in badminton for India. She is the only Indian to have won at least one medal in every BWF major individual event, namely the Olympics, the BWF World Championships, and the BWF World Junior Championships. She is the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal, the first Indian to have reached the final of the BWF World Championships, and the first Indian to have won the BWF World Junior Championships.[12] In 2006, Nehwal became the first Indian female and the youngest Asian to win a 4-star tournament. She is also the first Indian to win a Super Series title. In the 2014 Uber Cup, she captained the Indian team and remained undefeated, helping India to win a first-ever Uber Cup bronze medal.[13] Nehwal also became the first Indian to win two singles gold medals (2010 and 2018) at the Commonwealth Games.
Considered one of India's most successful badminton players, Nehwal is credited for increasing the popularity of badminton in India.[14] In 2016, she was conferred the Padma Bhushan – India's third highest civilian award.[15] Previously, she had also received the nation's top two sporting honours, namely the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. Nehwal is a philanthropist and was ranked 18th on the list of most charitable athletes in 2015.[16]
- ^ T. S. Sudhir: Saina Nehwal – An Insipirational Biography, Nimby Books (Westland Publications), 2012, ISBN 978-8190657037
- ^ Krishnan, Madhuvanti S. (27 August 2015). "Breaking the jinx". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ^ "Here's how coach Pullela Gopichand reacted to Saina Nehwal's Hyderabad homecoming". Deccan Chronicle. 5 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Saina Nehwal". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ "BWF World Rankings: Ranking week: 4/2/2015". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ "It's official, Saina Nehwal is World No. 1 badminton player". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ^ "Saina Nehwal scales historic World No.1 ranking". Business Line. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Selvaraj, Jonathan (29 March 2015). "Saina Nehwal smashes new mark: First Indian woman to be World No. 1". The Indian Express. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ "Twitter round: Who says what on Saina Nehwal's Australia Super Series win". Zee News. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ "Commonwealth Youth Games 2008". tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ^ "Vij wins shot put gold". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 February 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ^ "London 2012 Badminton: Saina Nehwal gets Bronze as Xin Wang withdraws". NDTV. IANS. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ "Saina Nehwal and Co eye another medal, uphill task for men in Thomas and Uber Cup". The Indian Express. Press Trust of India. 14 May 2016. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ Niumata, Foster. "Badminton boom in India sparked by Saina Nehwal's success". Yahoo! News. No. 16 March 2016. Associated Press. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ "Saina Nehwal awarded Padma Bhushan". www.sportskeeda.com. 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Saina Nehwal – 18th most charitable athlete". looktothestars.com. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.