Former World No.1 Tai Tzu-ying retires from badminton, Sindhu pens heartfelt note
New Delhi(PTI): Tokyo Olympics silver medallist and women’s badminton great Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei has announced her retirement from the sport, bringing the curtains down on a glittering career during which she won 17 BWF World Tour titles and finished runner-up in 12 tournaments.
The 31-year-old shuttler, known for her artistry and wrist wizardry, cited recurring injuries as the reason behind her decision. Her last BWF title came at the India Open in 2024.
"A beautiful chapter has come to an end. Thank you, badminton, for everything you have given me," Tai Tzu wrote on her Instagram account on Friday.
"Eventually, my injuries forced me to leave the court. I couldn't end my career the way I had hoped, and it took me a while to come to terms with that.
"The TTY era has come to an end. But I hope the spirit of TTY stays with you always."
Born in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung,the former world no. 1 has been battling injuries since last year and has been unable to return to the international circuit. The two-time World Championships medallits said, for now, her focus is simply on embracing the calm after years of relentless travel and training.
"I haven't decided what I'll do next, but for now, I'm going to enjoy a life without alarm clocks," the shuttler wrote.
Among those paying tribute was two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, one of Tai Tzu's fiercest rivals and most admired contemporaries.
Sindhu who faced the Tai Tzu in some of the most memorable matches of the past decade penned a heartfelt message on X.
"For over 15 years, you were the opponent who pushed me to my limits every single time. Two of the most important medals of my life — the Rio 2016 Olympic silver and the 2019 World Championship gold — came after playing you in those marathon, heart-stopping matches.
"In Rio, we met in the pre-quarters, and in Basel, it was the quarters — and both times I had to dig as deep as I ever have. And of course, you got me back in the 2021 semifinals and denied me an Asian Games gold. I still remember that one with a smile," Sindhu wrote on X.
Sindhu admitted that the Chinese Taipei shuttler always pushed her to her limits on the court.
"I won't hide it: I hated playing you. Your wristwork, your deception, your calm brilliance made me dig deeper than I ever imagined I could. Facing you changed me as an athlete. Park coach will tell you how much we prepared before playing you," Sindhu wrote.
"But beyond the rivalry, we built something truly meaningful. A quiet friendship, a deep respect, and a bond shaped through years of battles that only we fully understand.
"Watching you step away feels like losing a piece of my own journey. The sport will miss your magic, and so will I. It is starting to hit me that my generation of players are slowly beginning to step away, and nothing really prepares you for that," she added.
For over 15 years, you were the opponent who pushed me to my limits every single time. Two of the most important medals of my life — the Rio 2016 Olympic silver and the 2019 World Championship gold — came after playing you in those marathon, heart-stopping matches. In Rio, we met… pic.twitter.com/8LGN35MwiJ
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) November 7, 2025
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Odisha: Normalcy returns to violence-hit Malkangiri; internet services fully restored
Malkangiri (PTI): Normalcy returned to Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Monday, nearly a week after around 200 villages were damaged in violent clashes in a village, with the district administration fully restoring internet services, a senior official said.
Additional District Magistrate Bedabar Pradhan said internet services, suspended across the district on December 8 to curb the spread of rumours and misinformation following the clashes, were restored after the situation improved.
The suspension had been extended in phases till 12 noon on Monday.
The administration also withdrew prohibitory orders imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita within a 10-km radius of MV-26 village, where arson incidents were reported on December 7 and December 8.
Though the violence was confined to two villages, tension had gripped the entire district, as the incident took the form of a clash between local tribals and Bengali settlers following the recovery of a headless body of a woman on December 4, officials said.
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The violence broke out after residents of Rakhelguda village allegedly set ablaze several houses belonging to Bengali residents, forcing hundreds to flee. The headless body of Lake Podiami (51), a woman from the Koya tribe, was recovered from the banks of the Poteru river on December 4, while her head was found six days later at a location about 15 km away.
Officials said the district administration held several rounds of discussions with representatives of the tribal and Bengali communities, following which both sides agreed to maintain peace.
Relief and rehabilitation work has since been launched at MV-26 village, with preliminary assessment pegging property damage at around Rs 3.8 crore.
A two-member ministerial team headed by Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo visited the affected village, interacted with officials and locals, and submitted a report to the chief minister.
So far, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, the officials said, adding that despite the withdrawal of prohibitory orders and restoration of internet services, security forces, including BSF and CRPF personnel, continue to be deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
On Sunday, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi visited MV-26 and neighbouring Rakhelguda villages, and held discussions with members of both communities as part of efforts to rebuild confidence and restore peace.
More than two lakh Bengali-speaking Bangladeshis were rehabilitated by the Centre in Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts in 1968, and they currently reside in 124 villages of Malkangiri.
