Badminton star PV Sindhu doesn’t need an introduction. The two-time Olympic champion and Padma Shri awardee’s story is a testament to grit, discipline, and what a strong sense of purpose with the right support can achieve.. “Athletes are fortunate to have a platform that reaches millions of people. With that visibility comes a certain responsibility. When young players or fans look up to you, your actions and choices carry influence. If we can use that platform to inspire someone, support a meaningful cause, or create opportunities for others, then we absolutely should. Even small initiatives can make a difference in someone’s life. For me personally, giving back to sport and society has always been something I want to do more of as my career progresses,” said the 30-year-old.. In this candid conversation with indianexpress.com, the Telangana-bred Sindhu opens up about the people who helped shape her journey, the lessons she has learnt, and why now giving back feels extremely personal for her.. From early-morning training sessions with her parents and spending quality time with her entrepreneur-husband, Venkata Sai Datta, she reflects on her life. Excerpts:. Q: What’s keeping you busy at the moment?. PV Sindhu: Right now, my life is very much centred around training and preparing for the next phase of my career. My long-term goal is very clear. I want to perform at the Los Angeles Olympics over the next three years and give it my absolute best. I want to return to the top ten in the world rankings and stay there. In the shorter term, we have some very important events coming up. We have a home World Championships and the Asian Games, both tournaments where I would love to perform strongly. Representing India on home soil always brings a special kind of motivation.. But beyond my own career, I also feel a strong responsibility to give back to the sport that has given me so much. I already enjoy mentoring younger players whenever I get the chance, and I hope to do much more of that in the future. Watching young athletes grow in confidence and belief is incredibly rewarding.. So, most of my days right now are filled with training sessions, recovery routines and preparation for those goals.. Story continues below this ad. Q: Your Dubai airport hold up, and the evacuation were widely discussed recently.. Sindhu: It was certainly a very unusual and unsettling experience. You are not used to seeing missiles flying overhead in your daily life, so naturally, it was a bit shocking for all of us. But I must say the Dubai authorities handled the situation incredibly well. Their professionalism and care for people during that time were remarkable. Our team stayed together throughout the situation, which helped a lot. My coach and several members of our team were understandably shaken, but we supported each other and stayed calm.. We tried to keep ourselves distracted as well. We were talking, playing card games, and just trying to keep the atmosph
