Who became the first Indian woman to win the Korea Open Series (Korea Open Superseries) title in badminton?

Introduction / Context:
The Korea Open is a prestigious badminton tournament on the international circuit. Indian shuttlers have gradually become global powerhouses, especially in women's singles. This question tests knowledge of a landmark achievement: the first time an Indian woman won the Korea Open Series (commonly referenced as the Korea Open Superseries) title. Recognising such milestones is important for sports current affairs and competitive exams focusing on Indian achievements in global events.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The tournament in question is the Korea Open in badminton.
• The focus is on the “first Indian woman” to win the title.
• Options include Saina Nehwal, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponnappa, and P. V. Sindhu, all notable Indian shuttlers.
• We assume the reference is to the widely reported Korea Open Superseries victory by an Indian women's singles player.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to distinguish which of these players won which major titles. Saina Nehwal has won several Superseries tournaments, including the Indonesia Open and others, and has been World No. 1. P. V. Sindhu, Olympic medalist and world champion, captured the Korea Open Superseries title by defeating Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in 2017. That victory made her the first Indian to win the Korea Open in women's singles. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa are primarily doubles specialists and do not match this specific record.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall major career highlights of Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu. Step 2: Associate P. V. Sindhu with the famous Korea Open final where she avenged her World Championship loss to Nozomi Okuhara. Step 3: Note that this win was widely reported as a historic first for India at the Korea Open in women's singles. Step 4: Recognise that Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa are notable for doubles events, not this specific singles title. Step 5: Conclude that P. V. Sindhu is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Sports news archives and badminton federation records show that in 2017 P. V. Sindhu won the Korea Open Superseries title. Reports at the time highlighted that she became the first Indian to win the women's singles title at this event. No such record is attached to Saina Nehwal or the doubles specialists for this particular tournament. Using reliable sports GK sources or reference books confirms that Sindhu is the correct option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Saina Nehwal: Although she is an iconic Indian shuttler with multiple major titles, she was not the first Indian woman to win the Korea Open Series.
• Jwala Gutta: A renowned doubles player, but she has not achieved this specific Korea Open women's singles milestone.
• Ashwini Ponnappa: Another accomplished doubles player, often partnered with Jwala Gutta, and not the winner of the Korea Open women's singles title.

Common Pitfalls:
Many aspirants quickly associate Saina Nehwal with every early Indian women's badminton record and may select her without recalling exact tournaments. Another pitfall is ignoring that doubles specialists like Jwala and Ashwini have different achievement profiles compared to singles stars. To avoid confusion, it is helpful to mentally connect P. V. Sindhu with the 2016 Olympics silver, World Championship final battles with Nozomi Okuhara, and the famous Korea Open win where she took revenge in the final.

Final Answer:
The first Indian woman to win the Korea Open Series badminton title was P. V. Sindhu.