Saina Nehwal Honoured With Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award

Coimbatore: Olympian shuttler Saina Nehwal was honoured with the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore. After receiving the award, Saina Nehwal expressed deep gratitude and pride.

Speaking at the event, Saina Nehwal, the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, expressed deep pride in receiving the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award at the Yoga Centre. She thanked Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev for the honour and noted the sense of peace she felt at the venue.

Nehwal also highlighted the significance of having the Defence Minister present for the ceremony and shared her hope for continued recognition of athletes and professionals across various fields.

She continued, "The younger generation now has access to excellent facilities, including professional physios, coaches, and infrastructure. However, today's youth are often distracted by social media; therefore, parents should exercise a degree of firmness with their children."

Notably, Saina Nehwal confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton on January 20 this year, after nearly two years out of action due to a chronic knee condition.

"I had stopped playing two years back. I actually felt that I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms, so there was no need to announce it," Saina Nehwal said in a podcast as quoted by the Olympics.com.

She revealed that the decision was made after severe cartilage degeneration in her knees rendered sustained high-intensity training impossible. The badminton player added that her body could no longer meet the demands of top-tier badminton.

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‘Can’t Do It Anymore’: Saina Nehwal Confirms Retirement From Competitive Badminton