How Saina Nehwal Changed Indian Badminton Forever | Championships, Failures & Pressure

From smashing shuttlecocks to smashing stereotypes — this episode of The Bombay Journey features India’s badminton icon Saina Nehwal like never before. 🏸✨ Join us as Saina takes us on a heartfelt drive through her life — from growing up in Hisar and training in Hyderabad, to becoming the face of Indian badminton on the global stage. She opens up about her love for powerful smashes, defeating Chinese opponents, handling pressure, spirituality, and the inner strength that shaped her journey. Along the way, Saina shares personal firsts — her first racket, first car, travel memories, car playlist, and must-haves on the road. The journey gets even more special with a chai stop at Nilofer Café, a warm interaction with a Castrol EDGE contest winner, and unforgettable moments of recognition and gratitude. Watch till the end for Saina’s advice to the youth and parents aspiring to raise the next generation of champions. #TheBombayJourney #SainaNehwal #IndianBadminton #Castrol #CastrolEDGE 00:00 – Upcoming 0:59 – Welcoming Saina Nehwal on The Bombay Journey 1:28 – Her Journey from Hisar to Hyderabad 1:51 – “I Love to Hit Smashes” 2:32 – How Badminton Became a Part of My Life 8:02 – How I Defeated a Chinese Badminton Player 9:07 – Sports I Played Apart from Badminton 10:08 – My Very First Racket 11:20 – My First Car Story 13:09 – My Most Memorable Travel Story 14:05 – My Car Playlist 15:03 – Car Maintenance Tips 17:17 – 3 Must-Haves in My Car 19:35 – Meeting Shah Rukh Khan 22:14 – Chai Stop at Nilofer Café 29:49 – Meeting the Castrol EDGE Contest Winner 30:26 – Heartwarming Awards Moment for Saina 32:02 – Why 2010 Was a Big Year for Badminton 34:27 – How Do You Deal with Pressure? 35:26 – Spirituality and Inner Strength 36:20 – Advice to the Youth and Parents 38:49 – Outro Mashable Across The Web Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mashableindia/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MashableIndia Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashable.india/ Subscribe for Latest Videos: https://bit.ly/2QIlhxZ Mashable India is for superfans. We're not for the casually curious. Obsess with us as we start exploring India.