At 26, Jwala Gutta has won the National Badminton Doubles Championship seven times. She holds an Arjuna Award and has won the National Badminton Championship three times.

From Friday, Jwala Gutta, recently hailed as a potential world-beater, has been in the news for the being the 'other' woman in Mohammad Azarhuddin's life.

Azhar denies divorce with Sangeeta

Jwala Gutta's exotic background is what makes her unique. Here's what Mid-day said about her last year:

While this left-hander delights badminton lovers with her aggressive play, it is her background that makes her so unique. Her great grandfather was a Chinese called Tseng, a journalist by profession.

Chief editor of a Chinese newspaper in Singapore, he originally came from Tianjin city in China. But India's struggle for independence inspired a young Tseng to sail to India and meet Mahatma Gandhi in 1937. He stayed with the father of the nation for several months.

Gandhiji impressed

Gandhiji was so taken in by the man from China that he nicknamed him Shantidoot and called him Shanti for short.

After Gandhi's assassination, Tseng returned to China, but came back in 1977 and stayed at Sevagram at Wardha where he translated Gandhiji's autobiography and other works in Chinese.

He died at Acharya Vinoba Bhave's ashram and left behind a granddaughter Yelan, who married Jwala's father in 1982.

"I have Chinese blood but I am total Hyderabadi. Though my mother could have gone back to China, she chose to stay here as an Indian national. This nation has given me everything, " says Gutta, who is married to singles ace Chetan Anand.

Current reports say that the marriage is under strain and Jwala now lives alone.

Reports also claim that 47-year-old Azharuddin's closeness with Jwala has led Azhar's wife of 14 years, Sangeeta Bijlani, to walk out.

Mumbai tabloid Mid-day which first published the story, quotes a 'highly-placed source' from the Andhra Pradesh Badminton Association.

The 'source' reveals that Azhar was spotted at the Asian Badminton Championship in Delhi recently and watched matches with Jwala. In Hyderabad, Azhar is seen in the Pullela Gopichand's academy where Jwala practises and they both leave together.

There's more, reportedly Azhar has gifted her a BMW. The former India cricket captain who played 99 Tests and 334 One-Day Internationals for India, has two sons — Asaduddin and Abbasuddin — from his first marriage to Naureen.

He divorced Naureen after he started dating former starlet and model Sangeeta Bijlani. She was, at the time, dating Bollywood hunk Salman Khan.

Another celebrity marriage is in the dock. Last time around, I remember Azhar's photos were garlanded with shoes in Kolkata in anguish and outrage. Times have changed. I wonder if we will see similar extreme reactions if this story is indeed true.

The Congress has said it does not comment on the personal lives of its members. I never thought I'd say this but for once I agree with politicians.

Political pawn or tabloid fodder, the break up of any marriage is messy. It's also intensely personal