Don’t you dare write off PV Sindhu...

The first thing that strikes you when you are in the company of PV Sindhu is that she nudges—no—demands your attention. And it’s not her posture that will put your tired spine to shame, nor her towering presence (all 5 feet 10 inches of it). It’s the way she eases in and out of roles, with a certain girl-next-door humility that belies a career spanning almost two decades. At one moment she is on her phone sharing an inside joke with a family member, at another she is discussing her training schedule with her team. And even before we can order our filter kaapis, Sindhu is back in interview mode—without an ounce of tiredness on her face—even after hours of play. They say sportspeople are built differently. They are absolutely right.

When we approached Sindhu to be on the cover of Cosmopolitan India’s July-August issue, it was supposed to be a story of a planned comeback. By the time I wrote this interview—the plan had come to fruition. On July 19, the 31-year-old badminton ace created history by winning the BWF Japan Open 2026, beating former world number one Akane Yamaguchi in Tokyo. The moment marks quite the milestone—it’s not only the first major win for Sindhu in almost two years, but it is also the first time an Indian has clinched the title. “The impossible survives, until someone refuses to negotiate with it,” Sindhu wrote on Instagram after her win, addressing an audience of almost four million on the platform.

Could she foresee it? Hard to say. Could she gauge the challenge and the stakes? Absolutely. Pusarla Venkata Sindhu was born in Hyderabad to parents who played professional volleyball—her father, PV Ramana, was conferred with the Arjuna Award (India’s second-highest sporting honour) in 2000, and his daughter received it 13 years after him. Sindhu started playing at the age of eight, and what kept the two-time Olympic medallist on course is the kind of single-minded dedication that the sport demands: “When I initially started winning—I thought okay, now I need to master district, now state...now... wait what’s next? When there’s momentum, confidence follows automatically.” Ask her what she would be if not a badminton player—she draws a blank. Ask her if she had to choose another sport, which one would it be? She draws a blank. It’s a life that chose her and a life she would choose again.

In 2012, when Sindhu was just 17, she beat Olympic champion Li Xuerui on the latter’s home turf. She recalls the match as a turning point in her career. Fast forward four years, and Sindhu bagged a silver at the Rio Summer Olympics, and in 2021, followed it with a bronze in Tokyo at the same event—making her among the most prolific badminton stars of our times.

Sindhu, off court

Magazine covers, campaign shoots, brand endorsements, runway appearances—it’s not a new game for Sindhu. However, the last few years have shifted pace and perspective. The Japan Open victory came after nearly two years without a major title, following injuries and difficult losses. But, that’s the thing about athletes—they push through, not only for themselves but the country they represent. That’s quite the responsibility, accompanied by another that comes with being accessible to fans around the world. “I wish I could answer every DM I receive. Many young women write to me with messages like: ‘I want to play like you.’ Sometimes, I can’t reply because of the sheer volume, but it is really good to be able to have a conversation with someone who follows you from across the world,” she says, as she gets her hair ready for the next shot. In a makeshift green room at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, it is fascinating to see how young champions-in the-making look at Sindhu with starry-eyed awe, when she takes her spot for the photos. “I like doing shoots...I like getting ready,” she says nonchalantly, as we get a fleeting glimpse of the woman behind the athlete.

A scan through her feed, and it is easy to see that when she is not in her high-performance sportswear, Sindhu loves dressing up—an OTT by Tarun Tahiliani halter dress, a blazer dress with oversized florals, and South Indian weaves as the surprise course: “Being a sportsperson sometimes means that you are too engaged with what you do—you are very protected in that bubble. And when you actually pop it, all of it becomes a discovery. Fashion is part of it—and the next thing you know, you are out of your sneakers. When it comes to dressing up for myself, I am the kind of person who really likes to experiment.”

The field uniform for sportspeople has always carried its own politics. From Wimbledon whites and performance-enhancing fabrics to debates around culture and gender relevant costumes, the gaze and conversations keep changing, with the female body often at the centre of the discourse. And, when the public space is replaced by the private, the guards come down. For the shoot, Sindhu emerges as her most personal self—styled only in contemporary Indian brands, while ditching her favourite accessory of the season, Temple. The experimental wearable tech (worn on the temple, of course) tracks cerebral blood flow and neurological functions, and it caught the attention of news dailies when she debuted it at a match in Denmark, back in April. Style with an edge.

Mixed doubles 

In December 2024, Sindhu married Venkata Datta Sai, a businessman. The pair reconnected on a flight a couple of years prior, although they (and their families) had known each other for a while. What followed was love that eventually turned into marriage, marked by beautiful wedding ceremonies featuring celebrations that spanned Udaipur and Hyderabad. What does it take to make a marriage work—especially when the couple belongs to seemingly different worlds? Is it difficult for her partner to understand a lifestyle that includes rigorous training and constant travel? “Surprisingly, no. He has travelled all around the globe, is into adventure sports like biking, apart from being a thorough sports lover—and his interest goes beyond badminton. In fact, he understands the business and intricacies of my world much more than I do—for instance, all that’s happening off the court, which I am often unaware of,” she shares. And, although badminton takes her all over the world, there are many more discoveries and markers on the map that are on Sindhu’s wish list. “I love travelling, and if there was one place I would love to visit, it would be Iceland.”

Courting and the court has a ring to it—but the mixed doubles life has another geographical gateway that Sindhu credits for the person she is and has become. Having shifted to Bengaluru post marriage, she continues to enjoy and celebrate her South Indian identity: “Being from the South, one will always have a deep connection to all that it stands for and offers. And well, more than anything, the food is amazing (she laughs). Nothing beats Hyderabadi biryani.” And then, there are the textiles. “South India has a diverse tradition of crafts and textiles that I absolutely love,” she adds, as the conversation travels the folds of pattu saris (South Indian woven silks) and the tie-dyed art of ikat, which her home state is known for. For her wedding—among a palette of ivories, golds and kanjeevaram drapes—Sindhu wore a striking bridal Mysore silk lehenga by couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee, another testament to her roots.

This love for the traditions and rituals she inherited has not always come easy, but with age and experience, her outlook has evolved. As we settle into hair and makeup for the shoot, Sindhu has just one request—to let her natural, South Indian curls stay. “My dad always says, ‘God gave you the best hair. You don’t have to change it’.” If there is one thing that makes an interviewer happy, it is authenticity—and today, it lights up our little green room. 

Editor and interview: Snigdha Ahuja (@snigdha.ahuja)
Photographer: Sushant Chhabria  (@sushantchhabria)
Stylist: Nishtha Parwani (@nishthaparwani)
Cover design: Mandeep Singh Khokhar (@mandy_khokhar19)
Makeup and hair artist: Chriselle Ann Baptista (@chrissybaps)
Editorial coordinator: Shalini Kanojia (@shalinikanojia)
Assistant stylist: Samriddhi Vora (@sam.at.workk)
Line producer: RD Ratnam (@rd_ratnam)
Location courtesy: Centre for Sports Excellence (@centreforsports)

On PV Sindhu: Embellished dress, Lovebirds (@lovebirds.studio); rings, RAF (@rafthelabel) and Ayana Silver Jewellery (@ayanasilverjewellery); watch, Titan Glamour Quartz Analog Blue Dial Silver Stainless Steel Strap Watch for Women, from the Titan Purple Glamour Collection (@titanwatchesindia)