PV Sindhu: brain power as well as badminton prowess
In a chat show with Indian cricketers, the badminton star revealed how she managed to obtain a masters despite a packed schedule.
PV Sindhu may have garnered almost every accolade there is for a 24-year-old, but what many do not know is, unlike most athletes, the Indian badminton star holds multiple academic degrees.
She holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce (B.com) degree, an honorary doctorate from the Chennai Vels University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the St. Ann Women’s College in Hyderabad.
However, obtaining the MBA degree proved to be the most daunting experience for PV Sindhu, but in an unusual way.
In a chat show streamed by Baseline Ventures with Indian cricketers Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana, the Indian badminton star explained how she went about the whole process.
“I was good at studies and my parents encouraged me to continue with it. For the MBA degree, I did not attempt the main exams but rather the supplementaries because I was travelling for tournaments,” revealed PV Sindhu.
“I gave supplementaries in five or six subjects and that was a bit embarrassing because people around me asked if I had actually failed in the main examinations,” she laughed.
The 24-year-old, who completed her MBA in 2017, had earlier stated that the degree might help her after she retires from badminton.
Turning points and perceptions
PV Sindhu, currently ranked world no. 6, has steadily grown to become the face of Indian badminton in recent years, and the turning point, she believes, was her win against retired Chinese superstar Li Xuerui in 2012.
“I think she (Xuerui) had come down for some tournament after winning the Olympic gold in London and I beat her then as a 17-year-old,” said the Indian badminton star.
Though the silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics announced her to the world, PV Sindhu struggled to win the ultimate prize in many events, often falling in the semi-finals or finals, which led to her being dubbed ‘Silver Sindhu’.
The crowning glory did finally arrive last year when she became the first Indian badminton player to win the BWF World Championships and she explained that shutting out the negativity was what eventually helped her win the title.
“I still remember that I won 6-7 silver medals in 2017 and that is when the moniker set in but during any match, I like to focus my energies on it so I never thought about losing the previous tournaments,” admitted PV Sindhu.
“I was confident that I am better than that tag and I don’t think people’s criticisms should bother us. So, when I was in the final last year, I thought that I had to win this at any cost, I just gave my 100 per cent and ended up winning it.”
The Indian badminton star is currently at home in Hyderabad due to the national lockdown and has been actively involved in raising funds to deal with the coronavirus along with city-mate Sania Mirza