“I was 18 when I was presented with the Arjuna Award. To say it feels really good would be an understatement. But I don’t know how else to convey the feeling. I am grateful for having received this prestigious award at such a young age.”

I train for six days in a week for eight to ten hours of practice per day.

When you lose, you keep thinking, ‘I could have done things differently,’ but at that moment, you can’t do anything, so it is important to let go.

While I am training, I don’t go out for events, so rest days, in a way, take away that time. Apart from that, I just stay at home and rest, maybe relax at home and spend time with family.

In my early years, I would travel 56 km. from home to the training institute and back every single day.

Whoever plays well on a given day, that player wins.

Sometimes you don’t play up to the mark, and you win even then.

Since the Rio Olympics, the expectations are always high, and the responsibilities are also high. I am used to it now. You have to keep going and keep working hard.

While there are many good courts in the country, we need to have good coaches for more players to come up. Not everyone can go to Gopichand Academy, and everyone cannot afford international tournaments.

I think judging a shuttle is different everywhere, so there is a drift, but you have to be used to it. We can’t complain, as I think it is same for all.

You win some and lose some. It’s all part of the game. You have to take it in a very positive way.

I think you can never be a complete player.

I think each player has a different style of play, and every match is different.

Definitely, the aim is to become No.1.

You have to keep on learning all the time unless and until you become perfect in all the strokes.

There are many defining moments in my journey.

Each tournament is different.

Age is just a number. Who cares how old the girl is that I date?

You should not consider a man’s age but his acts.

I never fit in with my peer group. I never hung out with kids my age – I always wanted to hang out with my mom and her girlfriends.

It’s paradoxical, that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.

I’m over 30 now, but I didn’t expect to be here.

Stay out of the sun, because it is the worst thing in terms of aging. I’m very medical. I come from a medical family.

I’ve been auditioning since I was 7 years old.

Your wrinkles either show that you’re nasty, cranky, and senile, or that you’re always smiling.