India, Feb. 14 -- From dating in secret, meeting on staircases, and hitching rickshaw rides together for almost five years to exchanging vows, Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap's love story is straight out of a film. And just like any love story, they have had their fair share of challenges.

Parupalli says their initial years as a couple weren't easy as they had to keep their relationship under wraps. "We started dating in 2005. She was my first girlfriend. So initially, I was terrified of how I felt (about her). Back then, it was considered wrong to get into a relationship," the 38-year-old recalls, musing, "It becomes challenging when you doubt yourself."

Saina, on the other hand, says a sense of comfort initially dr...