Saina Nehwal retired from competitive badminton

Exam-focused facts from the 22 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Saina Nehwal confirmed her retirement from competitive badminton on a podcast.
She won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2012 London Olympic Games, becoming the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal.
She won the gold medal at the 2008 World Junior Championships.
She secured a silver medal at the 2015 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships.
She won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2018 Asian Games.
She won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Her last competitive match was at the Singapore Open in 2023.
She cited severe knee degeneration, arthritis, and complete cartilage loss as the reasons for her retirement.