India’s journey at the BWF World Championships has been one of patience, persistence, and eventual breakthrough.
From Prakash Padukone’s historic bronze in 1983 to H.S. Prannoy’s podium finish in 2023, Indian shuttlers have steadily built a reputation as global contenders. Now, with the 2025 edition approaching, a strong Indian contingent is gearing up to extend this legacy. For nearly three decades after Padukone’s feat, India had little to show at the World Championships. That changed in 2011, when Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa clinched bronze in women’s doubles, breaking the long wait for another medal.
The breakthrough era truly began with P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, who consistently delivered on the biggest stage. Sindhu alone has five medals at the Worlds including the historic gold in 2019, making her the only Indian ever to achieve the feat. Saina, meanwhile, contributed a silver in 2015 and a bronze in 2017, underlining her stature as a pioneer of Indian women’s singles badminton. Men’s singles too saw a resurgence with Sai Praneeth’s bronze in 2019, Kidambi Srikanth’s silver in 2021, and Lakshya Sen’s bronze the same year. More recently, H.S. Prannoy carried forward the tradition with a bronze in 2023.
In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secured India’s first-ever Worlds medal in 2022, adding another milestone to the nation’s growing badminton success.
India’s Medal Tally at a Glance
- 1983: Prakash Padukone – Bronze
- 2011: Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa – Bronze
- 2013–2019: P.V. Sindhu – 2 Bronze, 2 Silver, 1 Gold
- 2015, 2017: Saina Nehwal – Silver, Bronze
- 2019: Sai Praneeth – Bronze
- 2021: Kidambi Srikanth (Silver), Lakshya Sen (Bronze)
- 2022: Satwiksairaj/Chirag – Bronze
- 2023: H.S. Prannoy – Bronze
In all, India has won 15 medals at the BWF World Championships a remarkable rise considering there was just one medal in the first 30 years.
The 2025 Contingent: A Blend of Experience and Youth
The Indian squad for the 2025 edition looks formidable, with top names and promising youngsters across categories:
- Men’s Singles (MS): Lakshya Sen, H.S. Prannoy
- Women’s Singles (WS): P.V. Sindhu
- Men’s Doubles (MD): Satwik/Chirag, Hariharan/Ruban
- Women’s Doubles (WD): Rutuparna/Swetaparna, Priya/Shruti
- Mixed Doubles (XD): Dhruv/Tanisha, Rohan/Ruthvika
Sindhu remains the spearhead in women’s singles, eyeing a comeback to the podium after injuries in recent years. Lakshya Sen and Prannoy will carry India’s men’s singles hopes, both having proven themselves as world-class performers. In doubles, all eyes will be on Satwik and Chirag, who are not just medal contenders but potential champions given their consistency on the BWF circuit. Alongside them, younger pairs like Hariharan/Ruban and Priya/Shruti will aim to gain valuable exposure.
Expectations and Challenges
India’s medal expectations are naturally high, particularly from Sindhu and the men’s doubles pair of Satwik/Chirag. Prannoy, who has often risen to the occasion in big tournaments, could spring a surprise once again. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen is seeking to translate his promise into another Worlds medal after his 2021 bronze. The challenge, however, lies in sustaining performance across multiple categories. While singles has brought India glory in the past, the emergence of competitive doubles pairs signals a broader depth that could define India’s future success in badminton.
From a solitary bronze in 1983 to becoming regular podium finishers, India’s badminton story at the World Championships is one of perseverance and steady rise. With the 2025 contingent bringing together proven stars and emerging talent, Indian fans have every reason to be hopeful of adding more medals and perhaps another gold to the nation’s tally.
The stage is set. Can India script another historic chapter at the BWF World Championships?
