Badminton in India is a century-old sport that dates back to the early 1800s. Although cricket dominates Indian sports culture, badminton has grown significantly and is becoming increasingly popular. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is often credited for this growth, but it’s undeniable that the players themselves have played a major role.
Read on if you want to know more about these athletes. Here, in this article, we’ll walk you through the top 10 Indian badminton players male and the best players in the Indian woman division. We’ll also discuss the players who have won medals across different events, be it the Olympics or the Asian Badminton Championships.
Table of Contents
Indian Badminton Players Female: Quick Overview
Indian female badminton players, often referred to as Indian women badminton players, are considered to be a dominant force in the sport. They have made significant strides, earning recognition on both national and international levels.
Icons like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu have brought glory to the nation with their stellar performances. The same is expected from upcoming sensations like Tanisha, Ashwini, and more.
Decoding Badminton Indian Players: Male Version
Alongside the women Indian badminton players, there is a huge lineup of Indian male badminton players who are considered the greats of the game. From the time of Nandu Natekar and Prakash Padukone to modern-day stars like Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and Kiran George, you’ll find a number of elite-level Indian men badminton players.
Indian Badminton Players Male and Female: Current World Rankings
Before going into medals and accolades, let us take a look at current Indian badminton players who are ranked in the top 50 across different categories:
Category: Men’s Singles
Following are the 8 top-ranked men Indian badminton players (as per April 2024)
| RANK | PLAYER | CHANGE +/- | POINTS |
| 12 | Lakshya SEN | 4 | 28,110 |
| 13 | KIDAMBI Srikanth | 1 | 27,990 |
| 21 | Kiran GEORGE | 1 | 23,670 |
| 23 | Priyanshu RAJAWAT | 2 | 22,840 |
| 32 | Sathish Kumar KARUNAKARAN | 2 | 19,250 |
| 33 | PRANNOY H. S. | 2 | 18,580 |
| 44 | Mithun MANJUNATH | 0 | 13,080 |
| 50 | Ayush SHETTY | 4 | 9,820 |
Category: Women’s Singles
Check out the Indian badminton players female ranking for the month of April 2024:
| RANK | PLAYER | CHANGE +/- | POINTS |
| 32 | PUSARLA V. Sindhu | +5 | 17,450 |
| 34 | AAKARSHI KASHYAP | +4 | 16,480 |
| 41 | Ashmita CHALIHA | +1 | 12,720 |
| 46 | Anupama UPADHYAYA | +3 | 10,640 |
| 48 | Malvika BANSOD | +3 | 9,940 |
Category: Men’s Doubles
4 Indian doubles badminton players are ranked in the top 50. Here are them:
| RANK | PLAYERS | CHANGE +/- | POINTS |
| 4 | Satwiksairaj RANKIREDDY and Chirag SHETTY | 0 | 35,350 |
| 34 | Krishna Prasad GARAGA and Sai PRATHEEK.K | 2 | 17,720 |
| 43 | M.R. ARJUN and DHRUV KAPILA | 7 | 12,260 |
| 47 | Hariharan AMSAKARUNAN and Ruban Kumar RETHINASABAPATHI | 6 | 11,300 |
Category: Women’s Doubles
Indian women’s doubles badminton players Tanisha and Ashwini are currently the World Number 1. Check the list here:
| RANK | PLAYERS | CHANGE +/- | POINTS |
| 1 | Tanisha CRASTO and Ashwini PONNAPPA | 0 | 42,200 |
| 9 | Treesa JOLLY and GAYATRI GOPICHAND PULLELA | 2 | 28,780 |
| 28 | Rutaparna PANDA and Swetaparna PANDA | 0 | 20,810 |
| 44 | Priya KONJENGBAM and Shruti MISHRA | 1 | 10,310 |
| 44 | Simran SINGHI and Ritika THAKER | 1 | 10,310 |
| 48 | Ashwini BHAT K. and Shikha GAUTAM | 2 | 9,660 |
Category: Mixed Doubles
Here are the famous Indian badminton players male-female combo who are currently ranked in the top 50:
| RANK | PLAYERS | CHANGE +/- | POINTS |
| 33 | REDDY B. Sumeeth and REDDY Sikki | 4 | 17,210 |
| 40 | Sathish Kumar KARUNAKARAN and Aadya VARIYATH | 1 | 13,090 |
| 43 | DHRUV KAPILA and Tanisha CRASTO | 1 | 11,020 |
| 44 | Ashith SURYA and Amrutha PRAMUTHESH | 1 | 10,220 |
Top 10 Indian Badminton Players (Male)
In the next section, we’ll uncover the Indian badminton players list (male) who have dominated across the world. Remember, this list of Indian badminton players will comprise veteran stars and currently active athletes.
| Player Name | Awards/Achievements |
| Nandu Natekar |
|
| Prakash Padukone |
|
| Pullela Gopichand |
|
| Parupalli Kashyap |
|
| Chetan Anand |
|
| Srikanth Kidambi |
|
| Lakshya Sen |
|
| HS Prannoy |
|
| Kiran George |
|
| Mithun Manjunath |
|
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Top Indian Badminton Players (Female)
If you’re a loyal follower of the sport, you’ll know that women badminton Indian players have been more dominant. Be it the participation tally or the medal counter; the female shuttlecock athletes have made the country proud on multiple occasions.
While there are many to name, the following are the 5 Indian badminton players in the women’s division who are often considered to be the BEST!
| Player Name | Awards/Achievements |
| Saina Nehwal |
|
| PV Sindhu |
|
| Ashwini Ponnappa |
|
| Jwala Gutta |
|
| Aparna Popat | Commonwealth Games:
World Junior Championships:
|
Famous Indian Badminton Players: Olympic Edition
In the Olympics, all of India’s medalists in badminton have been female athletes. As of 2020, the nation has secured three medals, all claimed by women. Below is the Indian badminton players female list who have won Olympic medals for India.
| Player Name | Medal Won | Year |
| Saina Nehwal | Bronze | 2012 |
| PV Sindhu | Silver | 2016 |
| PV Sindhu | Bronze | 2020 |
Indian Badminton Players Ranking: Commonwealth Edition (Singles)
Indian badminton players have won multiple medals in the Commonwealth Games. Check the list below to learn about the famous Indian badminton players female and male, who have dominated the tournament over the years.
| Player Name | Medal Won | Year |
| Syed Modi | Gold | 1982 |
| Aparna Popat | Silver | 1998 |
| Pullela Gopichand | Bronze | 1998 |
| Aparna Popat | Bronze | 2002 |
| Chetan Anand | Bronze | 2006 |
| Saina Nehwal | Gold | 2010 |
| Parupalli Kashyap | Bronze | 2010 |
| Parupalli Kashyap | Gold | 2014 |
| Gurusai Dutt | Bronze | 2014 |
| PV Sindhu | Bronze | 2014 |
| Saina Nehwal | Gold | 2018 |
| PV Sindhu | Silver | 2018 |
| Srikanth Kidambi | Silver | 2018 |
| Lakshya Sen | Gold | 2022 |
| PV Sindhu | Gold | 2022 |
| Srikanth Kidambi | Bronze | 2022 |
Indian Famous Badminton Players: Asian Games Edition (Singles/Doubles)
Here are the badminton Indian players name who have won medals in the Asian Games. Keep in mind there are 4 of them in singles and doubles categories, while the nation has ten more in the Team class.
| Player Name | Medal Won | Year |
| PV Sindhu | Silver | 2018 |
| Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
and Chirag Shetty |
Gold | 2022 |
| Pullela Gopichand | Bronze | 1998 |
Indian Top Badminton Players: World Championship Edition
When it comes to the World Championship, Indian players badminton rackets have spoken on several occasions. A total of 11 athletes have won medals in this prestigious event, which includes 1x Gold, 4x Silver, and 9x Bronze.
| Player | Medal | Year |
| Prakash Padukone | Bronze | 1983 |
| Jwala Gutta & Ashwini Ponnappa | Bronze | 2011 |
| PV Sindhu | Bronze | 2013 |
| PV Sindhu | Bronze | 2014 |
| Saina Nehwal | Silver | 2015 |
| Saina Nehwal | Bronze | 2017 |
| PV Sindhu | Silver | 2017 |
| PV Sindhu | Silver | 2018 |
| PV Sindhu | Gold | 2019 |
| B Sai Praneeth | Bronze | 2019 |
| Kidambi Srikanth | Silver | 2021 |
| Lakshya Sen | Bronze | 2021 |
| Chirag Shetty & Satwiksairaj Rankireddy | Bronze | 2022 |
| HS Prannoy | Bronze | 2023 |
Final Words on Badminton Indian Famous Players
That wraps up today’s guide on famous Indian players of badminton. Here, you’ve learned about the remarkable athletes who have dominated the sport’s biggest stages and inspired generations. Whether you’re a new fan or have been following the sport for years, the information shared via this article will surely enhance your knowledge.
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FAQs on Badminton Players Indian
Who Are the Indian Players to Win the All England Badminton Championship at Number Two?
Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a gold medal in the All England Badminton Championship (1980). Pullela Gopichand was the second to win the event (2021).
What is the name of Indian badminton players who won international prestige in badminton?
Among all the Indian female badminton players, PV Sindhu was the first to win a gold medal in the prestigious BWF World Championships. As of 2023, she stands as the only Indian player who has achieved this feat.
Who among the Indian badminton players recently reached the men’s singles final of the Swiss Open?
In the 2024 edition of the Swiss Open tournament, Kidambi Srikanth reached the men’s singles semi-finals. Previously, 7 Indian players have won this event across three categories.
Who was the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships?
From the elite list of male and female Indian badminton players, Saina Nehwal is the only player from India to win the World Junior Badminton Championships.
Who is the first Indian to win the Badminton World Championships?
Prakash Padukone, one of the famous Indian international badminton players, was the first to win a medal (bronze) in the Badminton World Championships. Regarding winning the tournament, PV Sindhu became the first Indian to clinch the gold medal in the 2019 women’s singles event.
Indian badminton players who won medals in the Olympics?
The Indian badminton players name who have won medals in the Olympics are Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu. Saina won a bronze medal in the 2012 edition of the London Olympics while PV Sindhu won a silver and a bronze respectively in Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
Who are the best Indian badminton doubles players?
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are often considered the best Indian badminton doubles players. They have won the 2024 French Open title.
Who was the first Indian to win the BWF Super Series title?
Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win the BWF Super Series title in 2009.