PV Sindhu: The Hyderabad Girl Who Conquered the World

Every morning, before most of Hyderabad wakes up, PV Sindhu is already on the court. She has been doing this since she was eight years old — driving 30 kilometres each way to train, sometimes twice a day, in the heat and humidity of the city she loves. That early morning dedication is not just a routine. It is a philosophy.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is more than a badminton player. She is India’s greatest ever female shuttler, a two-time Olympic medallist, and the first Indian to win gold at the BWF World Championships. She is the daughter of a volleyball champion who chose a different sport — and in doing so, made history of her own.

But behind the trophies and the endorsement deals and the Forbes rankings, there is a young woman from Hyderabad who simply loves to play. This is her story.

Quick Facts About PV Sindhu

Early Life & Education — A Sporting Family in Hyderabad

Sindhu was born on 5 July 1995 in Hyderabad into a family where sport was not a hobby — it was a way of life. Her father, P.V. Ramana, was a member of the Indian national volleyball team that won the bronze medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2000 — India’s second-highest sporting honour. Her mother, P. Vijaya, was also a national-level volleyball player.

Growing up, Sindhu accompanied her parents to volleyball practice sessions regularly. Everyone assumed she would follow in their footsteps. But Sindhu had different plans.

When she was six years old, she watched Pullela Gopichand win the 2001 All England Open Badminton Championships on television. Something clicked. She turned to her father and said she wanted to play badminton. Her father, being the sportsman he was, understood immediately. He signed her up for training at the Mahboob Ali Badminton Academy in Secunderabad when she was eight.

What followed was not easy. Gopichand’s academy in Hyderabad was 30 kilometres from their home. Sindhu and her father made that journey — 30 km each way, sometimes twice a day — for years. No complaints, no shortcuts. Just shuttle after shuttle, day after day.

Sindhu completed her schooling at Auxilium High School, Hyderabad, and later pursued her graduation at St. Ann’s College for Women, Hyderabad. She also earned an MBA, proving that the court was not the only place she brought discipline.

Career Journey — From Junior Titles to Olympic Glory

The Early Years (2009–2012) — Finding Her Feet

Sindhu made her international debut in 2009 at the Sub-Junior Asian Badminton Championships in Colombo. She was 14 years old and came home with a bronze medal. It was a quiet beginning for what would become a very loud career.

In 2011, she won her first senior title at the Maldives International Challenge. In September 2012, at just 17 years old, she broke into the top 20 of the BWF World Rankings — a remarkable achievement for someone so young.

World Championships Bronze — Announcing Herself (2013)

The 2013 BWF World Championships in Guangzhou, China, was the moment the world took notice. Sindhu reached the semifinal and won a bronze medal — the first Indian woman to win a medal at the World Championships. She was 18 years old.

That same year, the Indian government awarded her the Arjuna Award. The girl from Hyderabad was no longer just a promising junior. She was India’s future.

Rio 2016 — The Silver That Shook India

Nothing in Indian badminton history compares to what happened on 18 August 2016 at Riocentro Pavilion 4 in Rio de Janeiro. Sindhu, just 21 years old, walked onto the court for the Olympic final against Spain’s Carolina Marin — the reigning World Champion.

India held its breath. The match was intense, emotional, and completely absorbing. Marin won in three games. But Sindhu had already made history — she became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at the Olympics, and the youngest Indian to win an Olympic podium finish in an individual event.

When she landed in Hyderabad, the city came out to receive her. The Andhra Pradesh government gifted her a house worth ₹6 crore. Cash rewards poured in from governments, boards, and celebrities. Sachin Tendulkar personally gifted her a BMW 320D. At 21, PV Sindhu had become a national hero.

World Champion — The Gold That Was Long Coming (2019)

After the silver in Rio, Sindhu kept pushing. She won silver at the 2017 and 2018 World Championships — always reaching the final, always finding the last step elusive.

Then came Basel 2019. In the final of the BWF World Championships, Sindhu faced Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara — an opponent who had beaten her in memorable battles before. This time, Sindhu was different. Focused, aggressive, and dominant. She won in straight games.

In that moment, PV Sindhu became the first and only Indian to win gold at the BWF World Championships. She also became only the second woman in history after Zhang Ning to win five or more singles medals at the event.

Tokyo 2020 — The Bronze and the Resilience

The Tokyo Olympics came after over a year of pandemic-induced isolation and uncertainty. Sindhu arrived focused and determined. She sailed through the group stage and quarterfinals, but lost in the semifinal to Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei.

In the bronze medal match against He Bing Jiao of China, Sindhu held her nerve and won. She became only the second Indian individual athlete — after wrestler Sushil Kumar — to win two consecutive Olympic medals. The bronze was different from the silver. This one was won in adversity, after heartbreak, in a near-empty stadium during a pandemic. In some ways, it said even more about her character.

Commonwealth Games Gold & Beyond (2022–present)

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Sindhu won gold in women’s singles, defeating Canada’s Michelle Li in the final. It was her third consecutive Commonwealth Games medal and her first gold at the event.

She continues to compete on the international circuit, now coached by Anup Sridhar and Lee Hyun-il, always chasing that third Olympic medal — this time, the gold that still awaits.

Major Medals & Achievements

Government Awards

• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award — 2016 (India’s highest sporting honour)
• Padma Bhushan — 2020 (India’s third highest civilian award)
• Padma Shri — 2015 (India’s fourth highest civilian award)
• Arjuna Award — 2013 (India’s second highest sports award)
• FICCI Breakthrough Sportsperson of the Year — 2014
• NDTV Indian of the Year — 2014

PV Sindhu Net Worth 2026

PV Sindhu’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at approximately ₹80 crore (around $10 million USD). She has consistently appeared on Forbes’ list of Highest-Paid Female Athletes — earning $8.5 million in 2018, $5.5 million in 2019, and between $7–7.5 million annually from 2021 to 2024.

Her brand portfolio is one of the strongest in Indian women’s sport — Li-Ning, Bank of Baroda, Asian Paints, Bridgestone, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, and Spinny are among her major endorsement partners. She currently works as Deputy Sports Manager at Bharat Petroleum and was also appointed as Deputy Collector by the Andhra Pradesh government — making her one of the few sportspeople to hold a government post alongside an active sporting career.

Family & Personal Life

Parents — Her Foundation

PV Sindhu’s parents are the bedrock of everything she has achieved. Her father P.V. Ramana, the Arjuna Award-winning volleyball player, recognised her talent early and sacrificed years of daily commuting to ensure she could train at the best academy in the city. Her mother P. Vijaya, herself a national volleyball player, managed the home and provided the emotional stability that any young athlete needs.

Sindhu has spoken in many interviews about how her parents never pressured her to win. They only asked her to give her best. That gentle but firm support shaped her competitive character — the ability to bounce back from defeat, to smile after a loss, to come back stronger.

Sister

Sindhu has an elder sister, P.V. Divya, who was a national-level handball player. Sport runs deep in this family.

Husband — Venkata Datta Sai

For years, Sindhu kept her personal life completely private. She deflected questions about relationships with a smile and a redirect to badminton. Then on 22 December 2024, she surprised everyone.

Sindhu married Venkata Datta Sai — a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur and Executive Director of Posidex Technologies — in a beautiful traditional Telugu ceremony in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The wedding was intimate, attended by family and close friends, with a grand reception held in Hyderabad on 24 December 2024.

Datta Sai is known to be a private, grounded person — much like Sindhu herself. Those who know them say they complement each other perfectly. For a champion who has spent her life chasing titles, finding her person in her own time and on her own terms feels like another kind of victory.

Frequently Asked Questions About PV Sindhu

1. What is PV Sindhu’s full name?

PV Sindhu’s full name is Pusarla Venkata Sindhu. She was born in Hyderabad and belongs to a Telugu family from Andhra Pradesh.

2. How many Olympic medals has PV Sindhu won?

PV Sindhu has won two Olympic medals — a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is only the second individual Indian athlete to win medals at two consecutive Olympics.

3. Who is PV Sindhu’s husband?

PV Sindhu married Venkata Datta Sai on 22 December 2024 in Udaipur. He is a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur and Executive Director of Posidex Technologies.

4. What is PV Sindhu’s net worth in 2026?

PV Sindhu’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at approximately ₹80 crore ($10 million USD). She earns from brand endorsements, tournament prize money, and her role at Bharat Petroleum.

5. Why did PV Sindhu choose badminton over volleyball?

Although both her parents were national-level volleyball players, Sindhu was inspired to play badminton after watching Pullela Gopichand win the 2001 All England Open Badminton Championships when she was just six years old. She began training at age eight and never looked back.

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