Saina Nehwal on her journey to the top, and more

We have known this gritty girl from Hyderabad for the past 12 years since she went from state to national and then the international sports arena, but last month, she grabbed the headlines all over again. 'Saina Nehwal reigns No 1', screamed one headline. 'Saina back on top', said another, as if it was no surprise, but just a matter of time before India's top-seeded shuttler secured that spot to become World No 1. That's the thing about Saina-this friendly, girl-next-door sport star has shown us how consistent hard work and unflinching belief in oneself will eventually take you where you want to go.

"My parents have been a great support," she says, recalling how her mother Usha Rani, a badminton player herself, helped her fine-tune her skills on court and familiarised Saina with the intricacies and strategies of international badminton, and dad Harvinder Singh Nehwal ferried her to and from coaching lessons. She began early, at age 9, practising for 6 to 8 hours every day so she could be in her fittest form for that one hour on court.

Off the court, she's like a regular 25-year-old girl-loves all things Bollywood, shops, plays on her phone and eats home-made food. Alongside the baubles on her dresser are the badges she's earned- the Olympic Bronze medal, Padma Bhushan, Khel Ratna, and numer-ous other titles. But Saina wears her laurels lightly, and with gratitude for all the good work her family, coaches and team has put into her success.

Here, she tells us how she stays on top. And how you can, too.

On becoming World No 1

I am grateful to my fans, for the hard work of my coaches, the love of parents and for my good health that has helped me come this far. I am more than glad to have chosen badminton as a career. Every athlete aims to stay on top of their game. Self-belief and motivation from my coaches and parents is precious, and with hard work and patience, comes success. I was thrilled and the good wishes came from near and far, including Brian Lara who congratulated me on the achievement.

On life as the world's top-seeded badminton player

Life hasn't changed, I continue to work hard to sustain my momentum. My schedule includes a lot of travel. I'm playing 10 to 15 tournaments across Europe. It's been much the same for these past 12 years of my career. My training, trave-lling and tournaments take up most of my time, this is my focus. I get 15 days in a month at my training arena and I train for 6 to 7 hours a week, resting only on Sundays. My coach decides the training plan, and it covers all aspects of the game.

Lessons from her struggles

Humble beginnings help one stay motivated to reach to the top. Big stories are not just made out of imagination. Many great personalities had beginnings like mine and this helps me relate to their success. We never forget where we came from and that motivates us to improve ourselves and our game, every day. I am not qualified to be an engineeror a doctor, I only have hard work and dedication to reach and accomplish my goals.

On winning and well, losing

Winning and losing is a part of every sport and we have to bear the gains and pains equally. A win is not always necessary, a loss is equally important to improve. If one has touched the peak, one must fall too; the important thing is to take it in the right spirit, dust off the disappointment and get back on your feet- that's the actual win. As an athlete, it's important to stay calm and focussed and not let all the success get to our head so we don't lose track. I don't let defeat get me down, my response is always more hard work and practice.

On how her sport has shaped her

Badminton has helped me grow, and I'm still learning. What you read about me in the media will always be a commentary on my performance. They love you when you win and constructively criticise you for a loss. It's tough to swim through that, and the pressure mounts with the expectations people have of me. Of the 10 to 15 tournaments I play, I have to win more than 80% to stay on top. The confidence that I can do this comes from my training and the motivation my coaches provide.

On lessons for young, upcoming sportswomen

Children must be taught the value of hard work. Life is made of days and hours so we must leverage all the resources we have access to. Sitting at home will not bring success. Step out, work hard, believe in yourself and respect your coach.

On women and sports

The sky's the limit for women in sports in our country. Several sportswomen like PT Usha, Mithali Raj, Mary Kom, Babita Kumari, Sania Mirza, Krishna Poonia, Mamta Kharab and Dipika Pallikal have shown what hard work and dedication can bring to the table. They stand as examples to prove how consistency and perseverance pay off.

On beauty and being fit versus thin

As an athlete, all you need is confidence in your game, stamina and motivation to maintain your consistency. For me, the two amazing examples of beauty and fitness are Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. You can eat all you want, but burn the calories. Also, I believe one should never play around with the natural looks we are gifted with, each one of us is beautiful and unique in our own way. It's amazing to be a woman, we should all embrace it!

On staying fit

My training schedule is created by my coach and is discussed with my physio, based on what suits me and my metabolism. It is constantly improving and changing.