Fans were heartbroken after India’s famous badminton players, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap, announced their separation. They weren’t just any other couple; they were each other’s competition as well as cheerleaders. Their love story began at training halls and tournament circuits in secret, blossoming into a rock-solid partnership for more than a decade. Read to know about their relationship timeline.
About Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap
Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap first met at a 1997 coaching camp. But their regular meetings began after they were relocated to Hyderabad under Pullela Gopichand’s wing. Kashyap told ESPN that it was a ‘school love’ which was innocent. By 2005, their friendly rivalry turned into romance and mutual support to do better. Sania wanted to be better than her beau even at training, according to the Indian Express.
When Saina Nehwal climbed on the Olympic podium in 2012 and Parupalli Kashyap became India’s first male quarter-finalist, their connection grew even stronger. The couple kept their courtside relationship a secret for nearly ten years, even from their friends. In another interview, Parupalli said that they had dated for a long time and were ‘childish’ to hide it from all of their friends because they were scared.
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After shifting to coaching, he was often seen courtside to pass Saina shuttles during training. Their relationship peaked when Nehwal won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games with him on his side. They finally tied the knot in 2018. But after spending more than two decades together, the duo decided to part ways.
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