• Source:JND
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Saina Nehwal, India's legendary badminton player, announced her decision to separate from long-time husband Parupalli Kashyap on Sunday, July 13.

Saina took to Instagram to announce her decision via a brief statement. Saina and Parupalli have separated after nearly 7 years of marriage. Notably, Kashyap Parupalli is also a badminton player.

"Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways. We're choosing peace, growth, and healing for ourselves and each other. I'm grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward. Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time," wrote Saina on Instagram.

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The couple got married to each other on 14th December 2018 and were known to have dated each other for more than a decade before tying the knot.

Saina and Parupalli grew up together through the ranks of Indian badminton at the Pullela Gopichand academy in Hyderabad. While Saina went on to become a global icon with her Olympic bronze and World No. 1 ranking, Kashyap stitched his own legacy with a Commonwealth Games gold and consistent performances on the international stage.

Saina is one of India's popular sportspeople. She was the second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleshwari in 2012. She also won two World Championship medals in her career, with one gold and one silver, while also clinching three gold medals in the Commonwealth Games by winning the singles competition in 2010 and 2018 as well as the mixed team in the Delhi edition.

She won two bronze medals (2014, 2018) in the Asian Games too. In 2015, she became the first Indian woman to achieve the world no.1 ranking.

Talking about Kashyap, he once mentioned that his relationship with Saina helped reignite his motivation to continue playing the sport. Multiple recurring injuries from 2016 had disrupted his badminton career for a while and had even made him consider his options. However, Kashyap found a way to reconnect with the sport through Saina.