Unnati Hooda is an Indian badminton player from Rohtak, Haryana, who plays women’s singles. She first drew attention in January 2022, when she became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title. In 2026 she won the Polish Open, broke into the world top 20 for the first time and reached the women’s singles quarter-finals at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
| Name | Unnati Hooda |
| Nickname | Unnati |
| Profession | Badminton Player |
| Birthplace | Rohtak, Haryana |
| Date of Birth | 20th September 2007 (age 19) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Fathers Name | Upkar Hooda |
| Mothers Name | Rekha Hooda |
| Category | Women’s singles |
| Highest ranking in women’s singles | Top 20 (first reached in May 2026) |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Siblings | Younger brother |
Unnati Hooda Early Life:
Unnati Hooda is an Indian Badminton player from Rohtak, Haryana, India. Unnati Hooda was born on 20th September 2007 (age 19). Unnati Hooda was born into a Hindu family.
Unnati Hooda studied at DGV Senior Secondary Public School, Rohtak.
Unnati Hooda Professional Life:
Unnati Hooda made her senior international debut in 2021. In May 2026 she rose to world No. 19 in women’s singles, her first time in the top 20. It was the first time since October 2021 that two Indian women were in the singles top 20.
In her early years, Unnati Hooda practised at school and sometimes under her father’s guidance. Her father, Upkar Hooda, saw her potential and enrolled her at the badminton academy at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak.
As a young girl, Unnati Hooda started training under coach Parvesh Kumar at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak.
Unnati Hooda made her senior debut at the India International Challenge in 2021 and finished runner-up, losing the final to Anupama Upadhyaya.
Unnati’s biggest win came when she defeated the senior player Malvika Bansod in the semi-finals of the Odisha Open in straight sets 24-22, 24-22. This was the first time when fans and badminton analysts started talking about Unnati Hooda’s style of play. Malvika Bansod had earlier beaten Saina Nehwal at the India Open.
Unnati Hooda then won her first major title at the Odisha Open in January 2022, a BWF Super 100 event. She beat Smit Toshniwal 21-18, 21-11 in the final. She was 14 at the time and became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title.
Unnati Hooda Uber Cup and Asian Games 2022:
In 2022 the Indian squad for the Uber Cup and the Asian Games did not include Saina Nehwal.
After Saina and Sindhu who are the next budding Indian women’s badminton players?
Unnati Hooda, then 14, earned a place in the squad through the selection trials. She played at the 2022 Uber Cup, where India reached the quarter-finals. The 2022 Asian Games were postponed to 2023 and held in Hangzhou, where India’s women’s team went out in the quarter-finals.
Unnati Hooda Titles and Results (2023-2025):
On 22 October 2023, Unnati Hooda won the Abu Dhabi Masters, a Super 100 event, beating fellow Indian Samiya Farooqui 21-16, 22-20 in the final. It was her second BWF Super 100 title. She also won the India International Challenge in 2023.
At the China Open, a Super 1000 event, in July 2025, she beat PV Sindhu 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 in the round of 16. It was the first time in seven years that an Indian had beaten Sindhu. Unnati lost to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals.
On 14 December 2025, as top seed, she won the Odisha Masters in Cuttack for the second time, beating Isharani Baruah 21-17, 21-10 in an all-Indian final.
Unnati Hooda in 2026: Polish Open, Top 20 and Asian Games:
In March 2026, Unnati Hooda won the Polish Open, an International Challenge event, as top seed. She came back from losing the first game to beat Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova 10-21, 21-15, 21-8 in the final.
She played for India at the 2026 Uber Cup. After that event, on 5 May 2026, she moved up to world No. 19, her first time in the top 20.
In July 2026 she reached the semi-finals of the Taipei Open after beating compatriot Devika Sihag. At the BWF World Championships in New Delhi in August 2026, she beat Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar 22-20, 21-16 in her first match to reach the second round.
At the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, she won her singles match as India’s women’s team beat Kazakhstan 3-0. In the women’s singles event she reached the quarter-finals, where she lost to Akane Yamaguchi 16-21, 21-14, 17-21 on 27 September 2026.
Unnati Hooda Family:
Unnati Hooda’s father’s name is Upkar Hooda, and her mother’s name is Rekha Hooda. Unnati Hooda’s father is a great fan of sports and always supported her choice of sport as a career. Unnati has one younger brother.
Upkar Hooda has always encouraged Unnati and her younger brother to choose sports and work hard toward their dream.
In an interview, Unnati’s father, Upkar Hooda, said, “Those days there used to be a popular Hindi adage ‘Kheloge kudoge banoge kharab’ (those who play will end up nowhere), and my father, who was a professor, also encouraged me to study. It was not exactly his fault but sports was considered secondary when I was a kid. Though I loved playing all sports and wanted to become a professional, I could barely get permission to play for an hour. So, when my daughter was born, I decided to let her play to her heart’s content,”
Unnati Hooda Records and Achievements:
- Unnati Hooda won her first women’s singles Super 100 title at the Odisha Open 2022 by defeating Smit Toshniwal.
- She won the Abu Dhabi Masters (Super 100) in October 2023.
- She won the Odisha Masters (Super 100) for a second time in December 2025.
- She won the Polish Open (International Challenge) in March 2026.
- She reached the women’s singles quarter-finals at the 2026 Asian Games.
Unnati Hooda Unknown Facts:
- She beat PV Sindhu at the 2025 China Open, the first win by an Indian over Sindhu in seven years.
- Unnati Hooda became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 tournament.
- Unnati Hooda looks up to P.V Sindhu and her dream is to win the gold medal for India in Olympics.
Frequently asked questions
When was Unnati Hooda born?
Unnati Hooda was born on 20 September 2007 (age 19) in Rohtak, Haryana.
Where is Unnati Hooda from?
She is from Rohtak, Haryana, and trained at the Chhotu Ram Stadium there.
Who is Unnati Hooda's coach?
She started training under coach Parvesh Kumar at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak.
Who are Unnati Hooda's parents?
Her father is Upkar Hooda and her mother is Rekha Hooda. She has one younger brother.
What is Unnati Hooda's world ranking?
She broke into the women's singles top 20 for the first time in May 2026, at world No. 19.
What titles has Unnati Hooda won?
She has won the Odisha Open 2022, the Abu Dhabi Masters 2023, the Odisha Masters 2025 and the Polish Open 2026, among others.
Why is Unnati Hooda famous?
She became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title when she won the Odisha Open in January 2022 at 14.
Did Unnati Hooda beat PV Sindhu?
Yes. She beat PV Sindhu 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 in the round of 16 at the China Open in July 2025.
How did Unnati Hooda do at the 2026 Asian Games?
She reached the women's singles quarter-finals and lost to Akane Yamaguchi 16-21, 21-14, 17-21.
Who did Unnati Hooda beat in the Polish Open 2026 final?
She beat Ukraine's Polina Buhrova 10-21, 21-15, 21-8 in the final.
