10 Facts About Aparna Popat

Aparna Popat was born on 18 January 1978 and is a former Indian badminton player.

Aparna Popat was India's national champion for a record equaling nine times when she won all the senior national championships between 1997 and 2006.

Aparna Popat was born on 18 January 1978 in Mumbai, Maharashtra into a Gujarati family of Lalji Popat and Heena Popat.

Aparna Popat studied at J B Petit High School in Mumbai and attended a pre-university course at Mount Carmel College in Bangalore.

Aparna Popat captured her first Senior National title at Hyderabad in 1997.

Aparna Popat went on to win the Senior National title till 2006, thereby equaling the Prakash Padukone's record of winning nine consecutive national singles titles.

Aparna Popat won her last of the nine Senior Nationals titles at the age of 27 after defeating the 15-year-old Saina Nehwal at Bangalore in January 2006.

Post-retirement, Aparna Popat was employed with the Indian Oil Corporation in Mumbai until 2015.

Aparna Popat took up the coaching role for the Mumbai Masters in the first edition of the Indian Badminton League.

Aparna Popat received the Arjuna Award in 2005, one of the highest sporting honors awarded by the Government of India.