Top 3 Female Badminton Players of India
Badminton, the second most followed sport after cricket in India, has witnessed a breathtaking transformation over the past few years, driven by the amazing performances of its female players. Prakash Padukone’s historic All-England victory gave a glimpse of the rich talent which has produced household names like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu.
The decade gone by has brought about a revolution in Indian badminton, which has elevated the sport to unprecedented heights. These athletes have not only brought huge laurels to the nation but also inspired an entire generation of people to take up the sport as their career.
Let us understand more about the journey of some of the top Indian female badminton players, their achievements and contributions to the sport.
1. PV Sindhu – The recently married and the newest ambassador to be signed by the sports apparel giant Puma for a multi-crore deal, PV Sindhu tops the list to take Indian badminton to extra ordinary heights. Born on July 5, 1995, in Hyderabad, Sindhu started playing badminton at the age of eight. She too trained under Pullela Gopichand, following in the footsteps of Saina Nehwal.
Her career break in 2013 made her win the bronze medal at the World Championship, making her the first Indian woman to achieve this milestone. Sindhu continued to excel and won laurels at subsequent World Championships and established herself as a formidable opponent on the world stage.
Her career highlights have been the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Sindhu’s sporting style is decorated by her power-packed smashes, swiftness, and strong tactics. Her innate ability to adapt as per the opponents and situations has been fundamental to her success.
2. Saina Nehwal – The original female, who is pioneered to have put Indian badminton on an international scale. The Indian shuttler created history when she won the bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
Born in the sporting state of Haryana, in 1990, Saina’s journey in badminton started at a relatively young age. She received her training under the mentorship of Pullela Gopichand, one of India’s most formidable badminton coaches. Her crowning glory came in 2009 when she clinched the Indonesia Open title, making her the first Indian to achieve this feat. Her aggression, mental strength, passion, hard work and determination brought her noteworthy accolades in the years to come.
3. Ashwini Ponnappa – This southern siren was born in 1989 in Bengaluru and began her professional career in early 2000s. It is commonly observed that singles players get more attention, Ashwini Ponnappa on the contrary has been a standout performer in the double’s badminton space.
Her on court pairing with fellow player Jwala Gutta has been one of the most successful ones in history. They duo bagged the gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championship, making these achievements historic milestones for Indian badminton.
My Perspective:
The contributions of our female athletes illustrate the growth and evolution, their achievements have inspired young girls to dream big and believe in themselves. Following the footsteps of these inspirational players, new names are emerging on the scene and players like Malvika Bansod and Aakarshi Kashyap look prepared and determined to take Indian badminton to even greater heights.
The legacy of these trailblazing women will definitely sustain, motivate and march ahead to strive for continual excellence in the sport.
Writer: Tulika Agarwal
