After a few strained and tense days spent in Dubai, two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu has finally returned to India. The Indian shuttler confirmed her arrival on a social media post on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, stating that she had returned safely to her home in Bengaluru. Sindhu was stuck in Dubai amid the escalating tension happening in the Middle East.
Confirming her return through a social media post on X, Sindhu credited the Dubai Airport authorities and the Indian High Commission for their support on her safe journey back to India.
She said, “Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back to my house. 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, it’s time to rest, reset, and figure out the next steps.”
Sindhu was, however, not alone. Her support staff and Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama were all in Dubai with her. They had all experienced a close encounter with an explosion that had occurred near the area where they were staying. But everyone is now returned safe and sound to India.
The Olympic medallist will, however, miss her chance to compete in the All-England Championships this time as the event had begun on Tuesday. She was expected to play in the opening round match against Thailand’s Supanida Katethong.
She trained hard for the event and was deeply disappointed with her forced withdrawal. In her absence, India’s men’s ace shuttlers Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty will lead the Indian contingent at the event.
Sindhu’s Dubai misery
On Saturday, February 28, Sindhu had arrived in Dubai to take the connecting flight on her way to Birmingham. But amid that, the tension in the region persisted, and all operations were shut down, leaving many of the travellers, including Sindhu, stranded at the airport. She and her team were, however, provided with a place of stay on March 1, during which they had experienced the explosion and had to shift to a different location for a safer option.
The issue faced by sports athletes like Sindhu brings in concerns like the physical and emotional safety of athletes travelling for international tournaments or any sort of travel plans. Not even alternate travel options were considered safe for Sindhu’s travel due to the disruption.
