Saina Nehwal credits mom for unparalleled success as she receives icon award at WION World Pulse summit
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Saina Nehwal credits mom for unparalleled success as she receives icon award at WION World Pulse summit")
Saina receives WION icon award, credits mom for success at World Pulse summit Photograph: (Others)
At the WION World Pulse Summit, badminton legend Saina Nehwal received the Icon award and credits her mother for her historic journey to World No. 1.
A trailblazer in women’s sports in India, badminton hero Saina Nehwal received the WION Icon award at the World Pulse Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday (Mar 18). A 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, Saina is the first female badminton player from India and the second overall, after legendary Prakash Padukone, to attain the number one ranking (in 2015). From being the only Indian to have won at least one medal in every BWF major individual event, to inspiring a whole generation of aspiring female athletes to take up badminton, Saina has done more for her country than what stats reveal.
Speaking at the World Pulse summit, Saina credited her mother for her unparalleled success at the international level. Having taken up badminton at a time in India when she had no female role models in this discipline to look up to, it was Saina’s mother who pushed her to become an Olympian and a world champion. By her sheer grit, determination and training, Saina realised her and her mother’s dream.
“All thanks to my mom,” Saina started by crediting her mother for where she stands today as the top female superstar in badminton in the country. “I used to love sports. We used to listen to what my mom used to say, as we wouldn’t say no to her,” Saina said about her mother’s love.
Continuing how her mother’s words of motivation and manifestation led to her success, Saina said, “My mother used to tell me, ‘You’re going to be an Olympian and a world champion,’ and I didn’t believe her.’
‘I had no trainer’
Saina’s path to the top wasn’t the easiest, as she details the struggles growing up. Unlike how revolutionised and professional today’s sports are, she didn’t have any of those facilities at her disposal.
“I didn’t have a trainer or physio at that time, but all thanks to my mom and Gopi sir (Pullela Gopichand), I could come this far,” Saina said at the WION World Pulse Summit. “I didn’t have women role models to look up to, but used to idolise Prakash [Padukone] sir.”
Talking about badminton’s rise in the country, since she emerged on the scene and ended the Olympic medal drought in the London Games in 2012, Saina said, “Badminton is the second-most followed sport in India (after cricket).”
Concluding with her thoughts on badminton’s future in the country, Saina said, “I hope we target (hosting) the Olympic Games in 2036 in India, and that, should it happen, India should aim to lead the medals tally in this discipline.”
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