Badminton is an evergreen sport and is especially popular in South-East Asian countries, including India. The sport has a huge fan base. Though it may seem easy, badminton is just as hard as any other sport and requires the same practice. Many badminton players in the world have mastered the sport and have high achievements too. And so, to bring these players into the limelight, we have compiled a list of the 5 best badminton players in India today:
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Jwala Gutta
Jwala Gutta is a professional Indian Badminton player. She has been qualified for two Olympics events and is the first Indian badminton player to be qualified in the Olympics. Jwala’s unique technique of service has made her very popular amongst her fans.
She is a master of badminton and is a knowledgeable player. She has won 19 gold medals altogether in multiple badminton tournaments. Jwala is a prominent member of the badminton community that helped shaped the sport in India.
Srikanth Kidambi
Srikanth Kidambi is one of India’s best badminton players. After his badminton debut in 2016, he quickly rose to the top and was titled the number 1 badminton player in the world in the year 2018.
His distinct playing style makes him a prominent rival for even the best players, including Lin Dan and Chong Wei. He is the first Indian player ever to win the Swiss Open Grand Prix. He has also won many awards and tournaments, including the South Asian Games gold and the Common Wealth Games.
Pullela Gopichand
The All England Championship winner Pullela Gopichand is a former Indian badminton player. He is one of the finest players in the sport. Pullela has served as an excellent player and a mentor for many contemporary Indian badminton players, such as Saina Nehwal.
He has also won many Indian and International awards such as the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri Award, and Padma Bhushan Award, all of which are very prestigious awards in India. He has his own badminton training center in India as well to help young players get the best training.
Saina Nehwal
The emerging badminton player Saina Nehwal is regarded as a pro in the sport. She is the best female badminton player in India today. She has received 24 titles throughout her brief career, including one Olympic medal.
Saina is a great mentor for young girls in India and encourages everyone to take up the sport as well. With 433 wins and only 196 losses throughout her career, Saina was named the number 1 badminton player in 2015.
Prakash Padukone
Prakash Padukone is a legendary badminton player and was the first Indian player to reach the Number 1 player ranking in 1980. He has received the Padma Shri Award and the Arjuna award and has won the World Cup Gold in 1981.
Prakash is also a great mentor for young players and is the co-founder of Olympic Gold Quest, a foundation that promotes Olympic Sports in India. He made his debut at the age of only 17 and was already an expert in the sport.
Prakash has also founded a badminton academy names Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy to provide training for the sport.
