We Indians are just big fans of badminton, either in our spare time or we spare our time to play badminton. Earlier, it was usually played on the lawn or in the backyard of the houses to pass the time, but later, it has turned officially into a sport. Since the time of the Britishers, the game has achieved much fame and significance in the years passing by. Many excellent and talented players have also provided a rise for Indian badminton worldwide through their extraordinary performance, and thus, there is no hesitancy to visit their profile which I have done for you to reduce your work.
Yeah! In today's blog, I have shared a list of famous badminton players who have also won grand slam titles in India. To know more, read the blog till the end.
Famous Badminton Players in India.
Saina Nehwal
Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza are two different personalities, well-known for a sport representing similar identities and whom we often get confused about. Here, we'll speak about Saina Nehwal, one of the famous badminton players in India, who has received credits worldwide for her extraordinary performance in badminton. She has also served as a role model for many female badminton players through her accomplishments. She has achieved several awards, such as the Arjuna Award in 2009, the Padma Shri Award in 2010, the Padma Bhushan in 2016, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna between 2009-2010.
Prakash Padukone
It's surprising to know that one of the best celebrities in India, with a wide scale of fans in Bollywood, Deepika Padukone's father, Prakash Padukone, is a former and one of the famous badminton players in India.
His hard work has contributed to the higher fame in the country. He also attended the world's No.1 ranking in 1980, which made him the first Indian to secure victory at the All England Open Badminton Championship.
Also Read: Guide to Badminton Court Dimensions and Layout
His badminton journey started under the guidance of his father, who served as a secretary at the Mysore Badminton Association. In his early days of badminton, he won the state junior championship in 1964 after facing defeat for two years. Padukone adopted a more aggressive playing style in 1971, leading to his victory in the Indian national junior title in 1972 and the senior title in the same year.
Chirag Shetty
Chirag Shetty, also known as 'Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty,' is one of the famous players in India. He is known for his pair-up with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. This duo are the only doubles pair in India to become No.1 in the BWF World Ranking, win the BWF World Tour 1000 series and become the first Indians to win gold at the Asian games in badminton. He was honoured with the Arjuna Award for badminton in 2020 and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna for badminton in 2023
PV Sindhu
PV Sindhu is another famous badminton player in India known for her remarkable achievements. She created history by becoming the first Indian to win the badminton World Championships and the second to secure consecutive Olympic medals. She has won medals at BWF World Championships and other tournaments like the China Open and BWF World Tour Finals. She has been honoured with several awards, including the Arjuna Award in 2013, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2016, Padma Shri 2015, and Padma Bhushan in 2020. She also won several titles at the 2013 World Championships, the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the 2018 Asian Games, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 2019 World Championships.
Also Read: Basic Badminton Rules and Regulations
Lakshya Sen
Lakshya Sen, another professional and famous badminton player in India, is significant in the game. In 2024, he became the first-ever Indian badminton player to reach the semi-finals at the Olympic games after winning the quarter-finals match in the men's single event. His achievements include winning gold medals at the 2018 Asian Junior Championships in the boy's singles and a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships. He was also a member of the Indian team, which won the 2022 Thomas Cup. In the same year, he also won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is another famous badminton player in India who achieved a new Guinness World Record for the fastest ever hit by a male player with a unique smash technique in badminton at 565 km/h. He, along with the pair of Chirag Shetty, is considered an awesome combo who became No.1 in the BWF World Ranking and also became the first Indian to win gold medals at the Asian games. However, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, with his play partner Chirag Shetty, has achieved many titles and awards together, like in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, in the men's doubles silver. In 2022, both won the men's doubles at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. In 2023, they won their first title as a pair in the 2023 Swiss Open badminton against two Chinese players in the final. The duo are considered one of the best pairs in badminton history because of their several achievements.
Frequently Asked Questions about Famous Badminton Players in India
What Are the Achievements of the Indian Badminton Players on the International Stage?
Several Indians have performed their best at the international level. Here, I have mentioned two notable players.
● P.V Sindhu
She won silver at the Rio Olympics in 2016, a gold medal at the World Championships in 2019, and several BWF World Tour titles.
● Saina Nehwal
She won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, the gold in the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and several superseries titles.
Who Are Some of the Most Famous Badminton Players in India?
Some of the most famous Indian badminton players are Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Prakash Padukone, etc.
How Has the Badminton Game Evolved in India Over the Years?
Badminton in India is an entirely different scenario now, and it has shown tremendous growth and development over the years. The game has achieved major milestones, from a niche sport to being significant and reaching the international stage.
This list of famous badminton players in India shows the achievements and titles won by well-known personalities. It gives insight into how badminton has grown in recent years, with all the ups and downs, and how it has inspired many youths to participate.
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