India, July 14 -- Olympic bronze medal-winning Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal, on Sunday, announced her separation from husband Parupalli Kashyap, who is also a top former shuttler, thus ending almost seven years of marriage. Saina made the announcement on social media.

On Sunday night, Saina posted a personal update on Instagram that has taken the sporting world by surprise.

"Life takes us in different directions sometimes. After much thought and consideration, Kashyap Parupalli and I have decided to part ways. We're choosing peace, growth, and healing - for ourselves and each other. I'm grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward. Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time," ...