Valiyaveetil Diju teamed up with Jwala Gutta to script history as the first Indian mixed-doubles pair to compete at the Olympics. A 6-time National Champion, he also has 5 South Asian Games gold medals in his kitty. The Arjuna Award recipient also won India’s first mixed-doubles Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold titles.
Apart from being part of the gold-winning Indian women’s teams at the 2004, 2006, and 2010 South Asian Games, Indian badminton player Aparna Balan has also won a doubles gold at the Games. She is also a 6-time National Champion in mixed doubles and a 3-time champion in women’s doubles.