Everyone remembers the final catch S Sreesanth took to help India lift the T-20 World Cup Trophy in 2007 or the six that blazed off the blade of MS Dhoni to seal the deal in India’s favour in the 50 overs World Cup in 2011. These are, undoubtedly, unforgettable moments in the Indian sporting world but there have been some incredible heroics on the part of athletes from other sporting domains as well, especially Badminton. Whether it’s Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand, PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen or Kidambi Srikant, Indian shuttlers have packed enough punch on the world stage to make the country proud and scripted several success stories on badminton courts. So, let us enjoy some special moments from the Indian Badminton scene.
Prakash Padukone’s Triumph At The All England Open (1980)
Three years prior to India’s tryst with history at the Lord’s stadium, a 24-year-old cute and agile shuttler from Karnataka stunned everyone at Wembley Stadium in England when he thrashed Indonesia’s Liem Swie King in straight sets of 15-3, 15-10. Thus, Prakash Padukone emerged as the first-ever badminton player from India to win the All England Badminton Championship back then. The achievement was significant as it was India’s one of the rare victories on a big stage.
Gopichand Smashes His Way To The Top At The All England (2001)
After Padukone’s flawless streak in 1980, it took another 21 years for another Indian to grab the big honours at the All England Championship. In 2021, Andhra Pradesh-born Pullela Gopichand became the second shuttler from India to win the all-important badminton tournament in England. Mentored by SM Arif, Prakash Padukone and Ganguly Prasad, Gopichand after conquering national imagination attained international fame when he defeated Chen Hong of China in March 2001 to help India lift the All England Badminton trophy for the second time.
Saina & Sindhu Claim Olympic Honours (2012/2016/2021)
The ace shuttler Saina Nehwal gave India its first big triumph in the Olympics when the Haryana-born girl won Bronze for the sport in 2012. This happened to be her second appearance in the ultimate sporting carnival and she somehow managed to shrug off the disappointment of 2008 when she crashed out in the Quarters. Then another sensational shuttler PV Sindhu surprised all and sundry in the 2016 and 2021 Olympic editions by pocketing silver and bronze medals. Apart from being the first woman to win two Olympic medals, Sindhu also remains the sole woman to bring home World Championship in 2019.
Srikanth’s Dominance (2017)
Other than Saina and Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth happens to be another shuttler to make India proud globally. If 2016 belonged to PV Sindhu, then in 2017 it was Srikanth who ruled the roost by winning four Super Titles in a calendar year. As a result of the stupendous feat, the Hyderabad shuttler became only the second man after Padukone to be crowned World No 1 in 2018. This was another feather on the cap of Indian badminton.
First-ever Thomas Cup Triumph (2022)
On 15th May 2022, another fortress was breached by the men’s team of Indian Badminton, when it shocked the “invincible” Indonesia team to lift Thomas Cup for the first time. This was made possible courtesy of a 3-0 victory over the Southeast Asian country. The latest triumph was a result of the collective effort on the part of Indian shuttlers for which everyone from Lakshya Sen, in Singles, to Satwikswaraj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, in doubles, played out of their skins to set up the championship 2-0 in favour of India. And when K Srikanth trounced Jonatan Christie, 21-15, 23-21, in the second Singles, India eventually beat Indonesia 3-0, a 14-time winner of the trophy, to become the sixth country to take home the coveted trophy.
