Saina Nehwal
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India’s top-ranked shuttler, Saina Nehwal for a short time took the top rank from Spain’s Carolina Marin,who has otherwise dominated the badminton circuit over the past few years. Nehwal made Olympic history for the sport and country when she became the first woman from India to win an Olympic badminton medal.
She was also the first Indian player to win a Super Series event, a feat she accomplished with her Indonesia Open win in 2009.
Formerly coached by Indian badminton icon and All-England Open winner Pullela Gopichand, Nehwal has scaled new heights for Indian athletes, irrespective of gender, but in the process of achieving those goals has given young Indian women and girls a new idol to aspire to.
After having won bronze at the London Olympic Games in 2012, Nehwal is on the cusp of qualifying for Rio 2016 and will hope to improve on what was already quite a strong performance.
She faltered then against nemeses Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan, who will also be part of proceedings in Rio. This time, Nehwal may face a new significant rival in the form of current World No. 1 Ratchanok Intanon, who took top spot from the reigning Carolina Marin after a blazing start to 2016.
But Nehwal, who remains one of the ten best badminton players in the world, has continued to do the country proud, and is an excellent role model for its young women.
