Indian Badminton
Indian badminton has grown tremendously over the past two decades, evolving from a niche sport to a powerhouse on the global stage. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) governs the sport, organizing national tournaments and supporting international participation. India has produced world-class players who have won Olympic medals, World Championships, and major BWF titles. The sport's popularity surged with stars like Saina Nehwal (first Indian to win an Olympic badminton medal in 2012) and PV Sindhu (back-to-back Olympic medals in 2016 and 2020). Men's singles has seen talents like Kidambi Srikanth (former World No. 1) and HS Prannoy, while doubles pairs like Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have dominated recent years, including a historic Thomas Cup win for India in 2022.
The foundations were indeed laid by Prakash Padukone in 1980 and Pulella Gopichand in 2001