Publish Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2026 (13:20 IST)
Updated Date: Tue, 03 Mar 2026 (13:21 IST)
Two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu has safely returned to India after being stranded in Dubai due to airspace closures in the Gulf region. The disruption forced her to withdraw from the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham.
Sindhu took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm her return.
“Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I'm truly grateful to be back at my house,” she wrote.
She also expressed gratitude to authorities and staff in Dubai.
“A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say.”
For now, Sindhu said she plans to “rest, reset, and figure out the next steps” as she prepares for upcoming tournaments.
The former world champion was en route to Birmingham via Dubai when flight operations across parts of the Gulf were suspended following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Iran’s subsequent retaliation reportedly impacted areas including Dubai, leading to further disruptions.
On February 28, Sindhu had shared details of her ordeal, revealing that there had been an explosion near her place of stay. She described the situation as an “extremely tense and scary moment” for her and her team, which includes Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama.
“Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is,” she had posted earlier.
