President Droupadi Murmu plays badminton with Saina Nehwal at Rashtrapati Bhavan

NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu engaged in a friendly game of badminton with Saina Nehwal, the renowned shuttler and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, at the Badminton Court located within the premises of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday.

Prior to the badminton session, President Murmu had the honor of unveiling the esteemed Durand Cup, along with the President's Cup and the Shimla Trophy, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The 133rd edition of the Durand Cup football tournament, which marks the commencement of the Indian Football season, is set to begin on July 27, with the final match scheduled for August 31.

The official social media handle of the President of India shared a glimpse of Droupadi Murmu's badminton session with Saina.



As part of the 'Her Story - My Story' lecture series, which features women who have been honored with the Padma Award, Saina is scheduled to address the audience at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on Thursday.

"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 house, with women players making a great impact on the world stage. As part of the 'Her Story - My Story' lecture series featuring women Padma Awardees, Ms. Saina Nehwal, an iconic Indian sportsperson, honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, will deliver a talk and interact with the audience at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre tomorrow," the official social media handle of the President of India wrote while sharing the pictures.


Born in Haryana, the 33-year-old badminton player first gained recognition after securing the BWF World Junior Championships title in 2008, during the early stages of her career.

That same year, she made her Olympic debut, but it took another four years for her to secure a medal at the Summer Games.

In 2008, she achieved a milestone by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.

Her outstanding achievements were acknowledged with the Arjuna Award in 2009 and the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010.

Throughout her remarkable career, the shuttler has represented India in numerous prestigious badminton tournaments, securing various trophies and medals. She holds the distinction of being the only female Indian player to achieve the world No.1 ranking in the sport, revolutionizing badminton in the country.

Saina's impact extends beyond her personal achievements, as she has inspired countless athletes and young people across the nation to pursue excellence in their endeavors.