India has secured three medals in the men's singles SL4 badminton competition at the Asian Para Games, with defending champion Suhas LY, Naveen Sivakumar, and Abhijeet Sakhuja advancing to the semifinals. Suhas LY will face Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan, while the other semifinal will be an all-Indian clash between Naveen and Abhijeet.
Organisers of the upcoming Badminton World Championships in New Delhi are employing an unusual method to prevent monkey intrusions: hiring professional mimics to imitate langur calls.
The Indian mixed doubles badminton pair of Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan secured a medal at the Asian Para Games by topping their SL3-SU5 Group B with an unbeaten record, advancing to the semifinals. Nitesh Kumar also won his men's singles SL3 match, and Ruthick Ragupathi won his men's singles SU5 match.
Canadian badminton player Victor Lai, currently world No. 7, expresses his ambition to become world No. 1. He acknowledges the challenge from established stars and welcomes the rise of a new generation of young shuttlers. Lai highlights his recent Super 1000 title win and his breakthrough at the India Open as crucial steps in his mental and professional growth.
Lakshya Sen recovered from a slow start to beat Collins Valentine Filimon of Austria in his first round match at the BWF Badminton World Championships 2026 in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has expressed her openness to entering electoral politics in the future, stating her desire to contribute to India's development and continue serving the nation beyond her sporting career.
India's P V Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist, overcame a strong challenge from Thailand's Supanida Katethong in a three-game thriller at the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament on Wednesday. Sindhu won 21-14, 8-21, 23-21, admitting it was not her best performance but expressing relief at advancing. In other matches, Unnati Hooda exited, while Ayush Shetty defeated Kidambi Srikanth, and Lakshya Sen gave a walkover.
Japanese badminton prodigy Tomoka Miyazaki, despite an early exit from the World Championships, is leveraging the experience to refine her game and challenge the sport's top players. Mentored by Akane Yamaguchi, the 20-year-old aims for consistent quarter-final appearances to test her skills against the world's best, while also appreciating her growing global fan base.
New Delhi organisers are confident of delivering a 'world-class spectacle' for the upcoming Badminton World Championships, having addressed previous concerns regarding venue cleanliness, air quality, and animal control that marred the India Open earlier this year.
Badminton star P V Sindhu, currently in Paris for the French Open, expressed her disappointment at missing the Bathukamma festival back home.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha secured a significant victory over world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi at the Badminton French Open 2026, advancing to the quarter-finals. Chaliha described the win as a major confidence boost after a challenging period, attributing her success to learning from their previous encounter and maintaining focus.
Indian shuttler Jagsher Singh Khangurra secured a bronze medal at the junior World Badminton Championships in Cairo after losing his boys' singles semifinal match to Indonesia's Radithya Bayu Wardhana. This marks India's seventh bronze in the individual championships. Khangurra identified improving his stamina and attacking game as key areas for future development.
Ayush Shetty's impressive run at the World Championships ended in the pre-quarterfinals against Alwi Farhan, concluding India's men's singles challenge. Meanwhile, the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant win, continuing their strong comeback after Treesa's injury.
World No. 4 badminton player Anders Antonsen has called for the India Open tournament to be moved from its traditional January-February slot due to severe winter pollution in New Delhi. He described the conditions as "insane" and "not pleasant to play in," causing a burning sensation and poor visibility. Antonsen believes the current time of year is much better for hosting such events.
Indian badminton players experienced a mixed day at the French Open. While Asmita Chaliha and Tanvi Sharma secured victories in their women's singles matches, the men's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, along with the women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, were eliminated in their respective round of 32 contests.
India's Deepthi Jeevanji secured her second consecutive Asian Para Games gold medal in the women's 400m T20 event, setting a new Games record. The 23-year-old athlete, who also holds the Asian record and is a Paralympic bronze winner, overcame a challenging background with support from her parents and Pullela Gopichand.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the men's doubles quarterfinals at the World Championships, securing a potential third medal. However, India faced a setback with the elimination of two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty in their respective singles matches. The women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also reached the quarterfinals.
India's para-athletes concluded their Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 114 medals, including 30 gold, marking their best performance to date. The final day was particularly successful, yielding nine gold medals across various disciplines. Notable achievements included world records set by Mona Agarwal in shooting, and Sandeep and Haney in athletics. Shuttlers Nitesh Kumar and Naveen Sivakumar secured individual golds, while archer Harvinder Singh also contributed to the gold tally. The swimming contingent also exceeded expectations with 11 medals.
Unseeded Indian men's doubles pair Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy defeated the sixth-seeded Thai duo to reach the second round of the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament. However, other Indian participants faced early exits in various categories.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured India's first women's doubles medal at the Badminton World Championships in 15 years after defeating China's Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in a thrilling quarter-final match.
The Sports Ministry is set to review India's performance at the recent Asian Games on October 13. The focus will be on the underwhelming results of experienced athletes in sports like badminton, shooting, and athletics.
P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen faced early exits at the Denmark Open badminton tournament on Tuesday, while Kidambi Srikanth and Tanvi Sharma secured hard-fought victories to advance to the second round. Sindhu lost to Yvonne Li, and Sen was defeated by Chou Tien Chen. Srikanth will face Alex Lanier, and Tanvi Sharma will play Yvonne Li next.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu secured her spot in the women's singles semifinals of the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament with a dominant straight-game victory. Meanwhile, fellow Indian Ashmita Chaliha's impressive campaign concluded in the quarterfinals after a hard-fought loss. Sindhu, the lone Indian remaining, expressed her determination to win the tournament, having learned from earlier challenges.
India's Thulasimathi Murugesan clinched a silver medal in the women's singles SU5 final at the Asian Para Games, losing to China's Yang Qiuxia. The Paris Paralympics silver medallist is also set to compete in two other finals, including mixed doubles and women's doubles.
India faces a challenging Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a significantly smaller contingent of 168 athletes, down from 303. While aiming to build on its record 111-medal haul from the last Games, selection disputes in para-shooting and para-cycling, coupled with reduced athlete numbers in key disciplines like para-athletics, pose hurdles. Despite these challenges, star athletes across para-athletics, archery, para-badminton, shooting, and table tennis are expected to lead India's medal charge.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay congratulated para-athlete Sivarajan Solaimalai for winning a silver medal at the fifth Asian Para Games and announced a Rs 50 lakh cash incentive. The government praised Solaimalai's dedication, highlighting his achievement as an inspiration for other aspiring athletes.
India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games reached 88, with armless archer Sheetal Devi securing two gold medals. The para-athletics contingent was the largest contributor, while medals also came from swimming, badminton, and table tennis, showcasing a strong performance across multiple disciplines.
Indian badminton players Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, and Kiran George have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the Taipei Open Super 300 tournament. While these rising stars secured impressive victories, seasoned players HS Prannoy and Anmol Kharb faced defeats, ending their campaign.
India's Asian Para Games campaign saw a remarkable performance, particularly in athletics, securing five gold medals on Tuesday. Nishad Kumar and Deepthi Jeevanji were standout performers, both setting new Games records and clinching multiple golds. The nation's overall medal tally reached 35 by the end of day two, with significant contributions from shooting, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, archery, and badminton, promising further success.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and BAI President Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled 'Peacko', the official mascot, and the championship anthem for the upcoming BWF World Championships in New Delhi. India aims to solidify its position as a global sporting destination, with the event featuring top Indian shuttlers like PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen.
India commenced its Asian Para Games campaign with a spectacular performance, securing 11 medals, including four gold, across various sports on Monday. Notable victories came from shooter Mona Agarwal, long jumper Nishad Kumar, middle-distance runner Soumya, and javelin thrower Rinku, with archer Sheetal Devi also setting world records. The medal haul places India fourth in the overall standings.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu commenced her 2026 Badminton World Championships journey with a commanding straight-game victory over Sophia Noble in New Delhi.
The Sports Ministry has rescheduled its review meeting with National Sports Federations to October 15 to discuss India's performance at the recently concluded Asian Games. The focus will be on the underwhelming show of experienced athletes in sports like badminton, shooting, and athletics, following a lower medal count compared to the previous edition.
Chou Tien Chen, at 36, continues to achieve success in badminton, defying age and a recent colorectal cancer diagnosis. His physiotherapist attributes his longevity to a "miracle," while Chou himself credits his faith and enjoyment of the game. He recently secured another medal at the World Championships, preparing to face Japan's Kodai Naraoka.
The Sports Ministry conducted a review of India's Asian Games performance, scrutinising the lower-than-expected medal haul in athletics and badminton. Chaired by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the meeting addressed issues like injured athletes and future planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with a strong emphasis on federations delivering results and nurturing young talent.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has expressed satisfaction with the extensive renovation and cleaning work at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, addressing previous criticisms regarding hygiene and facilities. Significant improvements have been made, including toilet renovations, deep cleaning, seat replacements, and pest control measures, ensuring the venue is ready for the upcoming World Championships.
As New Delhi prepares to host the BWF World Championships from August 17-23, 2026, five young talents - Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Alwi Farhan, Tomoka Miyazaki, and Kalyana Nalbantova - are identified as potential breakout stars capable of challenging the sport's biggest names and redefining their careers.
The Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals of the Denmark Open Super 750 badminton tournament. Meanwhile, Kidambi Srikanth, despite a strong performance, was defeated in the pre-quarterfinals by reigning world champion Alex Lanier. Ashmita Chaliha also exited the women's singles event.
Top Indian athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Neeru Dhanda, and Harmanpreet Singh have been nominated by their respective National Sports Federations to the electoral college for the Indian Olympic Association's Athletes Commission polls on November 3. The article details the nomination process, eligibility criteria, and the composition of the new Athletes Commission, noting the absence of some federations and the exclusion of outgoing members like Mary Kom.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu defeated Japan's Hina Akechi in a thrilling three-game match to reach her second Super 750 final of the year at the French Open. She will now face world No. 1 An Se Young in the summit clash.
