Saina Nehwal is a badminton player from India. She has won 24 international titles, including ten Superseries trophies. She first reached world number two in 2009 and later became world number one in 2015. She has competed in the Olympic Games three times and won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
Nehwal is seen as one of India’s most successful badminton players and played a major role in making the sport popular in the country. In 2016, she received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor. She has also been awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award. In 2015, she was listed among the top 20 most charitable athletes.
Saina Nehwal Accolades
Saina Nehwal has received several major awards and honors for her achievements in badminton. In 2008, she was named the Most Promising Player of the Year by the Badminton World Federation. She received the Arjuna Award in 2009, followed by the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award during 2009–2010. In 2010, she was honored with the Padma Shri and later with the Padma Bhushan in 2016.
For winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, she received multiple cash awards. The Haryana Government awarded her ₹10 million. The Rajasthan Government and the Andhra Pradesh Government each gave her ₹5 million. She also received ₹1 million from the Badminton Association of India.
Saina Nehwal Medals
Saina Nehwal has won medals at major international badminton events while representing India. At the Olympic Games, she won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympics.
At the World Championships, she won a silver medal in women’s singles at Jakarta in 2015 and a bronze medal in women’s singles at Glasgow in 2017. In the Uber Cup, she won bronze medals with the Indian women’s team at New Delhi in 2014 and at Kunshan in 2016.
In the Commonwealth Games, she won gold medals in women’s singles at New Delhi in 2010 and at the Gold Coast in 2018. She also won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2018 Gold Coast Games. She won a silver medal in the mixed team event at New Delhi in 2010 and a bronze medal in the mixed team event at Melbourne in 2006.
At the Asian Games, she won a bronze medal with the women’s team at Incheon in 2014 and a bronze medal in women’s singles at Jakarta and Palembang in 2018. In the Asian Championships, she won bronze medals in women’s singles at New Delhi in 2010, Wuhan in 2016, and Wuhan again in 2018.
At the World Junior Championships, she won a gold medal in girls’ singles at Pune in 2008 and a silver medal in girls’ singles at Incheon in 2006. In the Commonwealth Youth Games, she won a gold medal in girls’ singles at Pune in 2008 and a silver medal in the mixed team event at Bendigo in 2004.
| Competition | Medal | Year |
| Olympic Games | Bronze | 2012 |
| World Championships | Silver | 2015 |
| World Championships | Bronze | 2017 |
| Uber Cup | Bronze | 2014 |
| Uber Cup | Bronze | 2016 |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold | 2010 |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold | 2018 |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold | 2018 |
| Commonwealth Games | Silver | 2010 |
| Commonwealth Games | Bronze | 2006 |
| Asian Games | Bronze | 2014 |
| Asian Games | Bronze | 2018 |
| Asian Championships | Bronze | 2010 |
| Asian Championships | Bronze | 2016 |
| Asian Championships | Bronze | 2018 |
| World Junior Championships | Gold | 2008 |
| World Junior Championships | Silver | 2006 |
| Commonwealth Youth Games | Gold | 2008 |
| Commonwealth Youth Games | Silver | 2004 |
Saina Nehwal’s Personal Life
Saina Nehwal spent her first eight years in Hisar, Haryana, where she later understood the deep-rooted discrimination against the girl child. She has spoken about how her grandmother did not come to see her for a month after her birth because she wanted a boy and how her birth was a disappointment, as she was born seven years after her elder sister, Chandranshu. This experience later helped her understand the social bias faced by girls.
Her life changed after the family moved to Hyderabad, where sports facilities were better developed. Her mother, Usha Rani, who had represented Haryana in badminton, consistently encouraged her to pursue the sport. This support helped Saina build her career early, and by the age of 14 she already had sponsors like Bharat Petroleum and Deccan Chronicle. She lived in an apartment bought with her prize money, which her parents ensured was registered in her name.
Saina Nehwal has often spoken about the conservative mindset in rural Haryana, especially among men, and how even her uncles and relatives were against encouraging girls in sports. She maintains little interaction with them while crediting her parents for backing her fully. In her early training days, her father, Harvir Singh, would take her on a scooter to practice every morning and made many sacrifices for her career.
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