India, May 11 -- As the world celebrates Mother's Day today, former badminton champion Jwala Gutta has every reason to feel the occasion a little more personally this year. She and her husband, Tamil actor Vishnu Vishal, welcomed their baby girl in April-on their fourth wedding anniversary-marking a profound new chapter in her life.

And true to her candid, grounded self, Jwala begins by laughing at the novelty of it all. "I mean, people will actually wish me now-so..," she quips. While motherhood is new in a practical sense, Jwala insists the emotional essence of it feels extremely familiar. "I think I always was..... you know? What I've understood so far is, this isn't something new for me. My sister is about eight years younger than me...