Latest news with #Saina
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Saina Nehwal shares her fitness and diet secrets for staying in top shape: ‘My go-to cardio hack for weight loss…'
Saina Nehwal, ace badminton player and Olympic medalist stays at the top of her game through disciplined workouts and a well-balanced diet that also includes cheat days. In a May 10 interview with Fit Tak, she shares her insights on managing cheat meals, cardio routines and strength training to stay fit and competitive. (Also read: Dr. S Jaishankar's daily routine for staying fit at 70 includes yoga, morning squash, 30 minutes walk ) Talking about how she manages cheat days, Saina shares, "If you want to indulge, you can do it on Wednesdays and Sundays. And if you have the time, it's even better to do a light workout 2–3 hours after your cheat meal. That way, you burn some of the calories, enjoy your food, and still feel satisfied that you balanced it out with exercise." As for how often one should have a cheat day, Saina recommends limiting it to once a week for better results and discipline. A post shared by Fit Tak (@fittakofficial) Saina also shared her go-to cardio hack, revealing that she prefers incline walking over regular walking. "It's more effective than a normal walk because you burn more calories in less time," she explains. She also recommends incorporating running into your routine, ideally for 20 to 30 minutes. "Running is always fun. When you sweat, you feel good and sleep better too," she adds. When asked which is better for weight loss, running or incline walking, Saina says both have their place. She suggests incline is tough. It's not easy, and doing it every day is difficult as it causes leg pain. But you can alternate one day of incline and the next day running. A post shared by Fit Tak (@fittakofficial) Saina also recommends incorporating weight training into your routine for overall strength and conditioning. According to her you gain strength from lifting heavy weights, while running helps tone your body and makes you feel strong as well. She advises starting slow and lifting according to your capacity, saying there's no need to aim for 100 kg right away. It's important to lift what you're comfortable with, begin with something light and gradually increase the weight as you build strength. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Art has the profound ability to make us confront ourselves: Director Shubhrajyoti
There is a real-time energy between the actors and the audience in theatre. That connection is impossible to replicate in movies or OTT Shubhrajyoti Barat Just watching a play is not enough; it's important for everyone to feel emotionally linked to the performance,' says director Shubhrajyoti Barat , who is bringing Saanp Seedhi , an adaptation of Anthony Shaffer's celebrated psychological thriller Sleuth , to Bengaluru. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a chat with Bangalore Times , he delves into the unique ability of art to confront audiences, how theatre acting enriched his directing skills, and more. Excerpts: 'Audiences resonating with the play is rewarding for the director' Speaking about art's capacity for introspection and connection, the director explains, 'Art has a unique ability to confront us, to make us reflect on our moral compass, our vices, and our inner selves. The aim of any production is to allow people to identify with the characters' struggles and find something that resonates with their own lives. If they do, I think, as a director, I've achieved something meaningful.' 'Acting shaped my approach to directing' Having established himself as an actor in film and OTT projects like Article 15, Saina, Mirzapur , and Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper , Shubhrajyoti later turned his attention to theatre direction . He shares, 'Acting has shaped my approach to directing. I know what it's like to stand in front of a crowd, and I want to make sure every actor on stage feels empowered and seen. My acting experience in theatre has been invaluable. When you're acting, you're also aware of the design, the lights, and the set; you're never just an actor. You understand the entire process, which gives depth to your work. Acting in theatre has made me a more well-rounded director.' 'Bengaluru is full of talented theatre artistes' Speaking about Bengaluru's vibrant theatre scene, Shubhrajyoti, who has witnessed its evolution, says, 'Bengaluru is a melting pot of talented young theatre artistes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bright minds from academic fields, engineers, architects and researchers are venturing into theatre, leaving secure jobs. They're not here to impress but to express. The audiences, too, have evolved, enjoying plays in every language.'
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First Post
28-04-2025
- Sport
- First Post
How Indian badminton slid from Olympic medals to crushing defeats
From winning medals at the Olympics and World Championships on a regular basis thanks to the rise of the Saina and Sindhus and Srikanths to struggling to make an impact in the last couple of years, Indian badminton has undergone a serious decline. read more PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy are among the senior Indian shuttlers competing at the Sudirman Cup, with both losing their singles ties in India's opening Group D meeting with Denmark. PTI/Reuters The Indian badminton team is off to a forgettable start at the Sudirman Cup, suffering a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Denmark in their opening Group D clash on Sunday with the women's doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra helping their team avoid a 0-5 rout with a victory in straight games. With badminton powerhouse Indonesia, who completed a clean sweep over England on Sunday, also placed in the same group, India's chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of the event in China's Xiamen were slim from the very beginning. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What further minimised their chances of going the distance in the 19th edition of the prestigious tournament was leading men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty getting ruled out of the tournament due to illness, with the Badminton Association of India (BAI) not naming their replacement in the squad. Then again, the kind of slide that badminton has been going through in this part of the world in recent years, India weren't really the favourites to begin with in the biennial mixed-team event where they have reached the quarter-finals just twice since the inaugural edition in 1989. How India announced itself as a force to be reckoned with over the past decade India had produced iconic players in the past such as Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand, both of whom had won the men's singles title at the prestigious All England Badminton Championships with the former also a bronze medallist at the World Championships. Saina Nehwal, however, would herald the beginning of a new era in Indian badminton when she won the country's first Olympic medal in the sport with a bronze in London 2012. Four years later, PV Sindhu would nearly win a historic gold at the Rio Olympics, suffering a narrow loss against Spain's Carolina Marin to collect silver. Three years later, Sindhu would make history by becoming the first Indian to be crowned world champion in the sport, defeating Nozomi Okuhara in the final of the 2019 BWF World Championships in Basel, Switzerland. Two years later, the Hyderabadi shuttler would enter an elite club of Indian athletes to win multiple Olympic medals, collecting bronze in Tokyo 2020. PV Sindhu is the only Indian shuttler to win multiple Olympic medals. Reuters It wasn't just Saina and Sindhu making history; Kidambi Srikanth had become only the third Indian overall and the second man to becoming the world's top-ranked player in April 2018 and Padukone (1980) and Nehwal (2015). Both HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen would go on to win singles bronze at the World Championships, as would Satwik and Chirag in men's doubles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The years 2022 and 2023 had even more historic moments in store, with India winning gold at the Thomas Cup as well as team silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where Satwik and Chirag won doubles gold. While Padukone and Gopichand were part of different generations, the rise of Saina, Sindhu, Srikanth through the 2010s and the emergence of Sen and Satwik-Chirag in recent years instilled gave rise to the belief that India had finally discovered its golden generation of shuttlers, much like chess in 2024. Indian badminton going downhill since Paris 2024 There were a lot of expectations from the Indian badminton contingent in the Paris Olympics last year after their stunning performance in the Asian Games in September and October of 2023. The nation had won a solitary medal in each of the last three editions of the Olympics, and there were expectations of multiple Indian shuttlers securing a podium finish in the French capital. Only one came close to a medal in the end, with Sen, who had knocked compatriot Prannoy out in the Round of 16, suffering a heart-breaking loss against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in their bronze medal playoff. Medal favourites Satwik and Chirag had bowed out in the quarter-finals while Sindhu could go as far as R16. Lakshya Sen narrowly missed put on a medal at Paris Olympics. Image: Reuters Indian shuttlers have not won a major title since 2023, including at the India Open in January where Satwik-Chirag were the only Indians featuring in the semi-finals across all categories. It was a similar story at the Malaysia Open that had taken place in the same month, with the young doubles pair bowing out in the semis. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And despite fielding a strong squad, India were knocked out of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships with a 0-3 loss against Japan in the quarter-finals. More recently at the All England Championships, Sen and the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand were the only Indians to reach the quarter-finals, with both matches ending in a defeat. The concern, however, does not end there for Indian badminton, with the lack of quality players since the the rise of Sen as well as Satwik-Chirag and Jolly-Gopichand putting a question mark over the depth of talent. And injury concerns to senior players such as Sindhu, whose form has gone downhill in recent years precisely because of that reason, means India are left with next to no medal hopes once their current stars are out of the picture. Here's hoping that the current phase is just a lull in what has otherwise been a story of incredible growth. There's still plenty of time to go Indian badminton to get back on its feet ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after all. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
