President Murmu, Saina Nehwal play friendly Badminton match at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu plays badminton with Saina Nehwal at Rashtrapati Bhavan (Image: @rashtrapatibhvn/X)

President Droupadi Murmu engaged in a friendly badminton match with renowned Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal at the Badminton Court in Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 10, in a spirited display of promoting sports and inspiring youth. The event was aimed at encouraging children to embrace sports for a healthy lifestyle, as highlighted in a post on the President of India's official Instagram account.

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The President's enthusiasm for sports was underscored by a tweet stating, "President Droupadi Murmu’s natural love for sports and games was seen when she played badminton with the much-celebrated player Ms. Saina Nehwal at the Badminton Court in Rashtrapati Bhavan." The tweet also emphasized India's growing prowess in badminton, particularly through its women players who have made significant strides on the global stage.

As part of the ongoing 'Her Story – My Story' lecture series featuring women Padma Awardees, Saina Nehwal, an iconic figure in Indian sports, is set to deliver a talk and interact with the audience at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on July 11.

President Droupadi Murmu’s natural love for sports and games was seen when she played badminton with the much-celebrated player Ms. Saina Nehwal at the Badminton Court in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President’s inspiring step is in keeping with India’s emergence as a badminton-power… pic.twitter.com/DGjRudbzSc

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— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 10, 2024

Saina Nehwal, honoured with both the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards, inspires generations with her achievements in badminton.

Saina Nehwal's profile

Saina Nehwal is celebrated for her remarkable achievements on the international stage. The badminton star displayed exceptional talent from a young age, quickly rising through the ranks to become one of India's most successful sportspersons.

Achievements:

Saina Nehwal won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, becoming the first Indian badminton player to achieve this feat. She clinched the silver medal at the 2015 World Championships held in Indonesia.

Saina has multiple Commonwealth Games medals, including gold in 2010 (Women's Singles) and gold in 2018 (Mixed Team). She secured bronze medal at the 2012 Asian Games held in China.

Honors and Awards:

She was honored with India's third-highest civilian award in 2016 for her contributions to the sport.