Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda became the first pair of sisters from Odisha to win a womens doubles gold medal in an international badminton tournament today. The Cuttack duo achieved the feat at the BWF Tajikistan International Series, which was held at Dushanbe Tennis & Water Sport Complex in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The 24-year-old Rutaparna and her younger sister Swetaparna (18) combined superbly to dismiss the challenge of Azerbaijan pairing of Era Maftuha and Hajar Nuriyeva 21-9, 21-7 in just 20 minutes in the final.
Rutaparna and Swetaparna, who had received a bye in the quarterfinals, got the better of Kazakhstan duo, Yeva Butpayeva and Nargiza Rakhmetullayeva 21-10, 21-8 in the semifinals that lasted only 18 minutes.