P.V. Sindhu has taught Indian athletes the finer art of balancing success with commercial viability, rapidly becoming India’s highest-paid female sportsperson in a cricket-obsessed country. boasts a net worth of $7.1 million (₹59 crore) in 2023, has remained on the Forbes list of the highest-paid female athletes each year—highlighting her dominance both on the court and in her off-court pursuits. Her successes speak to raw talent paired with unyielding focus and striving for greatness.
This is her second Asian Games medal; she had won it in the 2018 Games too. Starting with her silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sindhu made a name for herself nationally and soon internationally. She later went on to claim a bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to bag two Olympic medals. She has been awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Arjuna Award, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, marking her status as a sporting legend.
Closed on court, Sindhu’s success story also goes beyond endorsements and investments. She has collaborated with top brands such as Li-Ning, Spinny, L’Oréal, Bank of Baroda, Bridgestone, Johnson & Johnson, and more. These partnerships have landed her on many brands’ wish lists for advertising campaigns, which reportedly provide a sizeable amount of her income. In addition to her lucrative career, her financial nous is evidenced by her investments in luxury real estate and high-end cars.
At age 28, Sindhu has a legacy well beyond sport. She has appeared regularly on lists by Forbes, with earnings reaching as high as $8.5 million in 2018 but still impressive in the years afterward. Six million fans follow her on social media, where she regularly brings them up to date, adding even more value to her brand.
Sindhu’s journey also set the benchmark for Indian athletes, particularly women, to reach for the stars. She has proven that success in non-cricket sports is possible—and can offer both international acclaim and financial security. Sindhu’s rise serves to underscore the increasing popularity and potential of other sports, such as badminton, in a land where cricket rules the roost.
She is an inspiration, showing us that with hard work and vision, it is possible to break barriers and achieve incredible success.