Indian Badminton Next-Gen Stars: The Emerging Wave of Women’s Singles Talent (July 2024 – July 2025)
The past 12 months in Indian women’s badminton have quietly witnessed the rise of a new generation. While names like PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal have long carried the weight of Indian badminton on the global stage, the baton is now being passed to a promising cohort of teenagers and early twenty-somethings who are beginning to assert their presence at both junior and senior levels. From BWF International Challenges to Super 300 events, from historic team wins to milestone upsets, the period from July 2024 to July 2025 has laid the groundwork for what could be a defining era in Indian women’s singles badminton.
Unnati Hooda: From Consistent Performer to Breakout Star
At just 17, Unnati Hooda has had a breakout year that has seen her rise from a world ranking of 80 at the end of 2024 to 37 by mid-2025. Her semifinal finishes at the Syed Modi International and Taipei Open (both Super 300 events), as well as a runner-up finish at the Singapore International Challenge, have been hallmarks of her consistency. Notably, her win over Anupama Upadhyaya in Taipei and tight three-game battle against Riko Gunji in Germany show her ability to challenge experienced campaigners.
Hooda’s aggressive, high-paced style has found success across surfaces and against a range of playing styles. But more importantly, she’s showing an ability to recover from early exits in higher-tier events and return stronger. Her results in both lower and mid-tier tournaments indicate that she’s building a strong foundation for a leap into the elite.
Rakshita Sree Ramraj: Versatility and Grit
Turning 18 in 2025, Rakshita Sree Ramraj has demonstrated a well-rounded campaign marked by consistency and marquee wins. Her Hylo Open upset over Kirsty Gilmour, a Commonwealth Games medallist, was one of the year’s most impressive upsets by any Indian female shuttler. She backed it up with quarterfinal finishes at the Thailand Masters, German Open, and Indonesia Masters Super 100, further proving that the result wasn’t a one-off.
What separates Rakshita from many peers is her ability to win in tight, high-pressure matches. Her victories in the Slovenia Open and India International II, and multiple close three-set battles against established players, demonstrate strong nerves and mental toughness. With her current world ranking of 40 and her recent participation in Super 500 and Super 1000 events, Rakshita is slowly transitioning into a regular World Tour contender.
Anupama Upadhyaya: Quiet Climber with Big-Match Temperament
At 20, Anupama Upadhyaya has often flown under the radar, but her performance graph over the last year shows significant promise. With two International Challenge titles (Polish Open and Kazakhstan International), and a statement win over World No. 15 Beiwen Zhang at the China Masters, Anupama has proven her capability to mix it with the world’s best.
Her challenge remains consistency at the Super 500 and above levels, where she has struggled to make deep runs. Still, Anupama’s pedigree as a former junior World No. 1, and her training under Park Tae-sang, point to a solid base. A strong performance at the Sudirman Cup, where she beat Miu Lin Ngan, also signals her readiness for high-pressure matches. Currently ranked 42 in the world, her next goal will be to break into the top 30.
Tanvi Sharma: Youthful Audacity Meets Historic Results
At only 16, Tanvi Sharma has emerged as India’s most promising junior and a legitimate threat on the senior circuit. She ended a brilliant 12-month period by becoming the youngest Indian to reach a BWF World Tour final, finishing runner-up at the US Open Super 300. In that run, she beat a string of higher-ranked players, including Pitchamon Opatniputh and Letshanaa Karupathevan, showcasing her ability to finish points with confidence and maturity.
Ranked No. 1 in the BWF Junior Rankings as of July 2025, Tanvi’s transition from junior to senior circuit has been seamless. Apart from her US Open heroics, she also won titles at the Denmark Challenge and Bonn International, and was instrumental in India’s gold-winning run at the Asia Team Championships. Her composure in tight three-game matches, especially in the US Open final against Beiwen Zhang, reflects a player wise beyond her years. With a senior ranking of 50 and rising, she is very much India’s next big thing.
Anmol Kharb: Mental Strength and National Glory
18-year-old Anmol Kharb may not have the international flash of her peers, but few can match her mental resolve. Her year was defined by a clutch performance at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships, where she won all three of her tie-deciding matches, helping India clinch its first-ever gold in the event. Starting that week ranked 472, Anmol ended the year among the top 60 — a staggering climb.
Her first senior international title came at the Belgian International, followed by another at the Polish International. She was also runner-up at the Guwahati Masters, and claimed gold at the National Games, beating higher-ranked opponents including Anupama Upadhyaya. Her consistent showings in International Challenge events and gritty matches in BWF World Tour tournaments suggest she thrives under pressure. Anmol’s current world ranking of 58 is a fair reflection of her potential to grind out results, and her clutch gene could make her a reliable option in future team events.
Shriyanshi Valishetty: The Fighter from the Shadows
Among this group, Shriyanshi Valishetty, 18, has shown the most impressive resurgence, especially in domestic competitions. Her runner-up finish at the 2024 Senior Nationals, where she defeated both Anmol Kharb and Tasnim Mir, announced her as a serious contender for the senior national scene. She followed this up with a finals appearance at the ST DENIS Reunion Open, including a notable win over Ashmita Chaliha.
Shriyanshi’s aggressive style has yielded mixed results in higher-tier events, with early exits in the US Open and Thailand Masters, but those experiences are laying the foundation for her future evolution. Ranked 75 in the world, she’s steadily improving with each tournament and growing in confidence with each deep run at the International Challenge level.
The Bigger Picture: India’s Post-Sindhu Generation Is Here
What makes this group of young women unique is not just their talent, but their readiness. Most of them have already secured wins over established senior players, many are regulars in Super 100 and Super 300 events, and all have contributed to significant team or individual triumphs in the last year.
This next generation is:
- Well distributed in age: From 16-year-old Tanvi to 20-year-old Anupama, there is a clear stagger that promises continuity.
- Technically versatile: Players like Tanvi and Rakshita blend pace with control, while Anmol and Anupama show tactical maturity.
- Mentally strong: The number of three-game victories and comebacks especially in team events highlights their resilience.
With key events like the World Junior Championships, Asian Games 2026, and possibly the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 on the horizon, this group represents India’s strongest youth pipeline since the Saina-Sindhu era. The immediate goals for these players will be:
- Breaking into top-30 globally (for Unnati, Rakshita, Anupama).
- Gaining consistent second-week finishes in Super 500/750 events.
- Winning their first World Tour titles (Tanvi came closest).
- Establishing themselves in team competitions like the Uber Cup, Asian Games, and Sudriman Cup.
Indian women’s badminton is no longer about waiting for the next Sindhu. It’s about watching six determined, hungry, and fearless athletes carve out their own identity. Whether it’s Tanvi’s swagger, Anmol’s grit, Unnati’s consistency, Rakshita’s shotmaking, Anupama’s mental sharpness, or Shriyanshi’s domestic fire, this young brigade offers a new storyline one where success isn’t exceptional but expected.
The transition is underway. The names may be new. But the dream remains the same gold at the very top.
And this generation just might get us there.
