PV Sindhu

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is a professional badminton player from India who has built a name for herself in the sports world. She was born in Hyderabad, Telangana, India on July 5, 1995. Sindhu was encouraged to pursue a career in sports by her parents, PV Ramana and P. Vijaya, who were both professional volleyball players.

Early Achievements

Sindhu began playing badminton when she was eight years old and instantly showed promise. Pullela Gopichand, who also trained Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth, was her coach. Sindhu’s devotion and hard work paid off when she won her first major championship at the age of 16 in 2011, winning the Asian Junior Championship. She then won bronze in the 2013 World Championships, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in singles at the tournament.

Rise to fame

Sindhu rose through the ranks, earning several titles and awards along the way. She created history in 2016 when she became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal in badminton at the Rio Olympics. She advanced to the finals after defeating numerous top players, including world number two Wang Yihan and world number six Nozomi Okuhara.

Sindhu’s Olympic win pushed her to international stardom, and she became a role model for aspiring badminton players in India and throughout the world. She followed up her Olympic gold medal with victories in the 2018 BWF World Tour Finals, the 2019 World Championships, and the 2021 Swiss Open. Sindhu is presently coached by Park Tae Sang of South Korea.

 

Medal Summary

Olympic Games: Silver medalist in women’s singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics

BWF World Championships: Gold medalist in women’s singles at the 2019 Basel World Championships; Bronze medalist in women’s singles at the 2013 Guangzhou World Championships and the 2014 Copenhagen World Championships

Commonwealth Games: Silver medalist; women’s singles at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games

Asian Games: Silver medalist in women’s singles at the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games; Bronze medalist in women’s team event at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games

BWF World Tour Finals: Gold medalist in women’s singles at the 2018 Guangzhou World Tour Finals; Silver medalist in women’s singles at the 2017 Dubai World Tour Finals

Uber Cup: Silver medalist in women’s team event at the 2014 Uber Cup

These are only a few of the significant medals that PV Sindhu has received over her career. She has also won a slew of additional championships and honors at tournaments all over the world.

Olympic Achievements

She earned a silver medal in women’s singles badminton at the Olympics. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she became the first Indian woman to earn a silver medal and the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal. Sindhu also participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals but failing to earn a medal.

Off the court

Sindhu is well-known for her humility and down-to-earth personality. She has received various awards for her exploits, including India’s highest sports honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Sindhu holds a Commerce degree from St. Ann’s College for Women in Hyderabad, in addition to her athletic exploits. 

Her achievement has not only inspired a new generation of Indian badminton players, but it has also elevated the profile of women’s sports in India. For millions of Indians, she has become a cultural symbol and a source of pride. Sindhu’s devotion, hard effort, and never-say-die attitude have helped her become one of the most successful badminton players of all time, and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.