With the YONEX SUNRISE BWF World Junior Championships 2025 set to kick off in Guwahati, India’s next generation of badminton stars have received an inspiring send-off from some of the country’s biggest names.
HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, and Ashwini Ponnappa – all stalwarts of Indian badminton recorded special messages of encouragement for the 25-member Indian squad preparing at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE). Their words carried a simple yet powerful message: enjoy the moment, trust your preparation, and ride the wave of home support.
This will be the second time India is hosting the prestigious junior event, after a gap of 17 years. The first was in Pune in 2008, when Saina Nehwal made history by clinching gold a performance that would prove to be a watershed moment for Indian badminton. From October 6 to 19, the spotlight returns to India, this time on Guwahati, Assam, as the city welcomes the world’s finest junior shuttlers for both the team (October 6–11) and individual (October 13–19) championships.
“A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity” – HS Prannoy
For HS Prannoy, who knows firsthand the importance of the junior championships, this is a moment for India’s young stars to announce themselves on the global stage. The 2010 world junior bronze medallist believes the event offers an invaluable platform.
“It’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent India at the World Juniors,” Prannoy said. “This is the first stepping stone. From here, you know what to expect in the next couple of years because the next step is entering the senior circuit.”
Prannoy highlighted the advantage Indian shuttlers have in training at the state-of-the-art National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, which will also serve as the competition venue. With familiarity of conditions, he stressed, India’s juniors must capitalize on their preparation and home advantage.
Lakshya Sen’s Advice: Focus, Not Distractions
Lakshya Sen, another player who turned his junior medal into senior success, echoed Prannoy’s sentiment. The Almora-born shuttler, who has medals at both junior and senior world championships, knows the pressure of performing at home but urged players to use it to their advantage.
“It’s your home turf. It’s a great event to take advantage of the home support and conditions,” Lakshya said. “There will be a lot of eyes on you, but you need to focus on what’s important. Don’t get distracted.”
For Lakshya, who has experienced the transition from promising junior to established senior, staying grounded and blocking out external noise is key. He reminded the Indian team that while expectations will be high, trusting the process and focusing on one match at a time will make the difference.
Ashwini Ponnappa: Trust the Training, Play for the Flag
Veteran women’s doubles Olympian Ashwini Ponnappa also added her words of wisdom. A trailblazer for Indian doubles badminton, Ashwini knows the discipline required to succeed in both individual and paired formats. She encouraged the squad to believe in the work they have put in over the past months.
“Trust the training process you have followed in the run-up to the championships,” Ashwini said. “Give your best and play to win medals for India. That is what will matter at the end of the day.”
Her message carries extra weight as India looks to make a mark in doubles events, an area where the nation has steadily improved over the past decade.
India’s record at the BWF World Junior Championships includes 11 medals – one gold, four silver, and six bronze. The standout moment came in 2008 when Saina Nehwal won gold in Pune, setting the stage for India’s rise as a global badminton powerhouse. RMV Gurusai Dutt also claimed bronze in the same edition, making it the country’s best-ever campaign.
Since then, several juniors who medalled have gone on to thrive in the senior ranks – including Prannoy and Lakshya. Their careers serve as powerful reminders of what strong performances at this level can lead to.
This time, India has an added opportunity to make history. Seeded second in the mixed team event, the squad is eyeing a first-ever podium finish in this category. The team’s depth in doubles and singles provides hope that a medal is within reach. In the individual events too, India will bank on its balance across singles and doubles to challenge the world’s best.
For Guwahati, the event is more than just a championship; it’s a chance to cement its place on the global badminton map. The National Centre of Excellence, equipped with world-class facilities, is hosting its first major international tournament, offering Indian juniors a familiar yet electrifying stage to shine on.
For the players, however, it is about more than the venue or the support it is about seizing the moment. With legends of Indian badminton urging them on, they step into the championships not only carrying their own dreams but also the hopes of a nation that has seen its badminton story evolve dramatically over the past two decades.
As Prannoy, Lakshya, and Ashwini emphasized, this is a rare chance one to enjoy, to learn, and to perform. The journey from junior prodigy to senior champion begins here, and the class of 2025 will be keen to leave its mark on home soil.
From October 6, all eyes will be on Guwahati. India’s young shuttlers will walk out onto the courts with the tricolour on their shoulders, their idols’ words in their ears, and a nation’s cheer behind them. The World Junior Championships are back in India after 17 long years – and the stage is set for the next generation to rise.
