For six months in 2015 she played through the pain of a stress fracture in her navicular bone -- desperately clinging on to her dream of a maiden Olympics. It was her most debilitating injury to date.But the word 'setback' isn't in her sporting lexicon.
"When I was on the podium, I was sad for a minute. But then I thought I've got what I've not expected in my life and I have to be happy about it."And what awaited her in India was a reception which crisscrossed generational and gender divides as thousands lined the streets from Hyderabad International Airport to the Gopichand Badminton Academy.
Overnight companies lined up in their droves to become associated with the most marketable female athlete in India. In real terms her endorsements equated to around $178,000 per day -- second only to India's world-famous male cricket captain, Virat Kohli. Modest and philosophical to the core, she sees her elevated status not as a burden but as a blessing.
"No one should think that men are strong and women has nothing. Nobody should think that [...] Women are strong enough to do whatever they want."And it offers a gateway to openly discuss 'taboo' topics such as menstruation.
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