The Rise of the Badminton Star PV Sindhu Entrepreneur Magazine is glad to present PV Sindhu, the badminton star who made it to our 35 under 35 special.

By Punita Sabharwal

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Entrepreneur India

They are the 35 boldest entrepreneurs of India who are changing the game in various industries and together they represent the optimism, inventiveness and boldness of India's millennial entrepreneurs. They have not just questioned the conventional wisdom but answered it with their fiery and risky business undertakings. They have inspired every young Indian to not shy away from breaking the status quo, rewriting the rules and transforming the world. Entrepreneur Magazine is glad to present PV Sindhu, the badminton star who made it to our 35 under 35 special.

Born to parents who were professional volleyball players, PV Sindhu went on to choose badminton as a career. Sindhu started playing at the age of eight-and-a-half with her interest driven towards badminton.

Talking about her inclination Sindhu says, "I used to play for fun initially but slowly the number of hours increased. I used to love playing badminton and that's how my parents came forward to support me." Speaking about Pullela Gopichand, her coach and inspiration himself, Sindhu says, "I would watch him (Gopichand) play and later shifted to his academy to get further training." As a child, Sindhu ended up crying every time she lost a match. But, over the years she improved her game and also learnt to handle failure. After passion, Sindhu counts hard work as the ultimate recipe for success. Sharing her aim, Sindhu says, "I definitely want to see myself at the top of the world."

P V Sindhu went on to win the silver medal at the Olympics becoming the only Indian woman to achieve this feat. One week before the Olympics, she went to Rio and practiced for hours there. So, everything was really important from the diet, practice, rest and sleep, each of these things played a pivotal role in her success. On how she continues on days when she is short of energy, Sindhu says, "Sometimes, we might be really very tired, during those hours you need focus on the game and plan accordingly.

Like if you are tired today, we change the schedule, it depends on my coach so, he decides what it is."
Currently, Sindhu is the brand ambassador for APIS India honey, Moov, Bank of Baroda and Ojasvita MALT. Sharing her take on winning and losing, Sindhu says, "Well, winning and losing are a part of life. Ups and downs are always there if you win that's really nice and if you lose you will learn a lot more, it's not just that you will keep winning and keep losing but definitely if you keep working hard on your
mistakes and rectify them then definitely in the next round you will rectify when they come up."

(This article was first published in the February issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)

Punita Sabharwal

Entrepreneur Staff

Managing Editor, Entrepreneur India

Growing a Business

How to Prepare Your Small Business for Impactful Investor Partnerships That Go Beyond Funding

Here's how investorpreneurs transform startups with mentorship and strategic investments.

Growing a Business

How Connecting With the Right Audience Drives Long-Term Business Success

Here's how targeted lead generation can help you unlock higher conversions, stronger brand loyalty and scalable growth.

Growing a Business

5 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Business's Online Presence

Boosting your online presence in 2025 is the key to success for businesses looking to grow. Working on your branding and reputation management is important to drive more sales and improve conversion.

Business News

A Government Shutdown Could Cost the U.S. Economy $6 Billion a Week, According to EY's Chief Economist

Experts from EY tell Entrepreneur that a government shutdown could leave "a visible mark" on the economy.

Business News

A New Hampshire City Was Named the Hottest Housing Market in the U.S. This Year. Here's the Top 10 for 2024.

Zillow released its annual lists featuring the top housing markets, small towns, coastal cities, and geographic regions. Here's a look at the top real estate markets and towns in 2024.

Business Ideas

Is Your Business Healthy? Why Every Entrepreneur Needs To Do These 3 Checkups Every Year

You can't plan for the new year until you complete these checkups.