The last time the national anthem was heard at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships was in 2019, when P.V. Sindhu won the gold defeating Japan’s Nozomi Okhuhara in the final. The doubles combo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, affectionately called Sat-Chi by the fans, won bronze medals in the 2022 and 2025 editions.
The Badminton World Championships is back, and this year, it’s on home ground. It kicked off today at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, and will conclude on August 23.
Here’s a look at the Indians in the fray and the form they are in the build-up to the prestigious tournament.
P.V. Sindhu
Sindhu comes into the championship with a title win at the Japan Open Super 750. Having won five medals from 2013 to 2019, Sindhu remains India’s best chance at a podium finish in this tournament. The former World No. 2 will play her first match of the tournament against Sophia Noble of Ireland. Her biggest challenge may come against Chen Yu Fei of China, who recently defeated her at the China Open, and from World No. 1 An Se Young of South Korea.
Unnati Hooda
It will be a World Championship debut for the 18-year-old, who once famously defeated Sindhu at the 2025 China Open Super 1000. She won the 2026 Polish Open and 2025 Odisha Masters. Unnati also recently made it to the semifinal of the Chinese Taipei Open, which concluded earlier this month.
Ayush Shetty
Shetty will be another debutant for India this year. The Indian contingent will pin their hopes on the tactical game of Ayush to once again create wonders. He is the winner of the 2026 US Open and made it to the finals of the 2026 Asia Championships.
Lakshya Sen
He has had ups and downs recently and will look to bounce back at the World Championships. A big tournament player, Lakshya reached the finals of the All England Open 2026 and won the 2025 Australia Open. Indian fans will hope to see the Paris Olympics semifinalist bring back his A-game in this tournament.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty
The World No. 4 duo come into this event after Satwiksairaj’s recovery from a shoulder injury. Back on track after the injury sustained during the recent Japan Open, Satwiksairaj and Chirag are known for their aggressive game coupled with powerful smashes. Together, they have won the bronze medals in the 2022 and 2025 editions of the World Championships, and would be looking to do better in this edition on home turf.
Hariharan Amsakarunan and Arjun M.R
This combo has shone in the Super 100 and Challenger events by reaching the knockout stages. They also made it to the quarterfinals in the BWF tours of Indonesia Open Super 1000, Malaysia Masters, Australian Badminton Open, and the Orleans Masters.
Mixed doubles
India’s leading mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila has maintained a steady presence in the BWF World Tours, staying in the top 25 of the world rankings. Joining them is the duo of Rohan Kapoor and G.R. Shivani, who reached the Round 16 of the recent Indonesia Open Super 1000.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatiri Gopichand, meanwhile, made it back to the BWF World tours by winning the Philippine International Challenge 2026. Earlier, the duo had been away from the tour due to Gayatiri’s injury. In 2023, the women’s doubles combo made it to the Round 16 of the world event.
