Parupalli Kashyap facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parupalli Kashyap |
|
|---|---|
Kashyap in 2010
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Birth name | Parupalli Kashyap |
| Born | 8 September 1986 Hyderabad, India |
| Height | 1.71 m |
| Weight | 65 kg |
| Country |  India |
| Handedness | Right |
| Men's singles | |
| Highest Ranking | 6 (25 April 2013) |
Parupalli Kashyap (born 8 September 1986) is a former Indian badminton player. He represented India in big events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Kashyap is famous for being the first Indian male badminton player to reach the quarterfinals at the 2012 London Olympics. He was once ranked World No. 6. After retiring from playing in 2024, he became a coach at the Gopichand Badminton Academy.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Parupalli Kashyap was born in Guntur on September 8, 1986. When he was 11, he started training in badminton in Hyderabad, India. His family moved often because of his father's job. While living in Bangalore, he trained at the Padukone Academy.
In 2004, his family moved back to Hyderabad. Soon after, Kashyap found out he had asthma. This was a big shock, and he worried his badminton career was over. But Kashyap was very determined. He worked hard and used the right medicine. His health got much better. He continued his training at the Gopichand Academy. His coach was Pullela Gopichand, a famous former badminton champion.
Education
Kashyap went to Loyola High School in Secunderabad. Unlike many athletes who stop school early, Kashyap chose a different path. He studied Computer Science at the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun.
Personal Life
Parupalli Kashyap married fellow Indian badminton player, Saina Nehwal. They had a private wedding ceremony on December 14, 2018.
Badminton Career Highlights
Starting Out (2005–2009)
In 2005, Kashyap won a boys' singles title. This was at the National Junior Open Badminton Championships. From 2006, he began playing in international tournaments. At the Hong Kong Open in 2006, he surprised everyone. He beat the world number 19 player, Przemysław Wacha. His world ranking improved a lot that year. His coach, Gopichand, was very happy. He saw it as a good sign that Kashyap could win against top players.
Kashyap also won a gold medal for Andhra Pradesh. This was at the 33rd National Games. He beat the national champion, Chetan Anand. In 2009, he reached the semifinals at the Dutch Open. He was also a runner-up in a few other tournaments.
Commonwealth Games Success (2010)
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Kashyap reached the semifinals. He won a bronze medal in men's singles. He also helped India win a silver medal. This was in the Mixed Team Event.
,_during_the_medal_presentation_ceremony,_at_Siri_Fort_Complex,_in_New_Delhi_on_October_08,_2010.jpg)
In 2012, Kashyap reached the semifinals of the Djaram Indonesia Open. He surprised world number 3 Chen Long on his way there.
London Olympics (2012)
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Kashyap did very well. He won all his matches in the group stage. This included a big win against Nguyễn Tiến Minh. He then beat Niluka Karunaratne to reach the quarterfinals. He lost to the top player Lee Chong Wei in the quarterfinals. But he made history by being the first Indian man to reach this stage in Olympic badminton singles. This achievement helped him reach a world ranking of 19.
His success continued, and he reached a career-best ranking of 6 in April 2013.
Commonwealth Games Gold (2014)
Kashyap had some tough matches in 2014. But he found his form at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He was the second seed in the men's singles. In the semifinals, he beat Rajiv Ouseph of England. This was a revenge win for his loss in 2010.
In the finals, he played against Derek Wong from Singapore. It was a very close match with three games. Kashyap won 21–14, 11–21, 21–19. This earned him a historic gold medal for India. It was the first men's singles gold for India in 32 years. He joined legends like Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi.
Later Career (2015–Present)
In 2015, Kashyap won the India Open Grand Prix Gold. He beat his fellow Indian player Srikanth Kidambi in a thrilling final. He also had a tough semifinal match against Viktor Axelsen.
Kashyap did not qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics or the 2020 Olympics. He also missed out on the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He retired from professional badminton in 2024.
Achievements
Commonwealth Games
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi, India |  Chetan Anand |
21–15, 21–18 |  Bronze |
| 2014 | Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland |  Derek Wong |
21–14, 11–21, 21–19 |  Gold |
BWF World Tour
The BWF World Tour is a series of top badminton tournaments. It is approved by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Canada Open | Super 100 |  Li Shifeng |
22–20, 14–21, 17–21 |  Runner-up |
BWF Grand Prix
The BWF Grand Prix was another series of badminton tournaments.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | India Grand Prix Gold |  Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk |
21–9, 14–21, 21–17 |  Winner |
| 2015 | Syed Modi International | Srikanth Kidambi |
23–21, 23–21 | Winner |
| 2017 | U. S. Open | H. S. Prannoy |
15–21, 22–20, 12–21 | Runner-up |
- BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament
BWF International Challenge/Series
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Smiling Fish International | Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk |
21–23, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | Spanish International |  Hans-Kristian Vittinghus |
10–21, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | Le Volant d'Or de Toulouse |  Rajiv Ouseph |
11–21, 12–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Austrian International |  Cheam June Wei |
23–21, 21–14 | Winner |
Awards and Recognition
- Arjuna Award, 2012 (This is a major sports award in India.)
For his gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Kashyap received cash awards:
- ₹2.5 million (US$43,000) from the Badminton Association of India.
- ₹5 million (US$85,000) from the Telangana government.
