Indian shuttlers who medalled in BWF World Championships

Published at :August 16, 2023 at 8:58 PM

Modified at :January 13, 2024 at 5:52 PM

PV Sindhu is the first Indian to win gold at the competition

BWF World Championships is one of the biggest tournaments in the sport of badminton. The prestigious competition has witnessed many Indians win medal in its grand stage, starting with Prakash Padukone in 1983. It took India another 28 years to medal again in the BWF World Championships, but since then they have won at least one medal in every edition.

India’s run of medalling in 11 consecutive editions of the BWF World Championships was set off by the women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponappa when they clinched a bronze medal in 2011. With that they had become the first Indian doubles pair (in any category) to win a medal in the tournament.

Only PV Sindhu has managed to clinch the gold medal at the BWF World Championships. She achieved this feat in 2019 after consecutive silver and bronze medal wins in previous editions. The 2022 edition saw Indian shuttlers win one medal courtesy of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy winning the bronze in a disappointing outing overall.

In order to stand up to the expectations of their fans, Indian shuttlers will be hoping to better their performance. As they prepare to compete at the 2023 BWF World Championships, here is a look at the Indians who won medals at the tournament in the past:

1983 – Prakash Padukone

Prakash Padukone became the first Indian shuttler to win a medal at the BWF World Championships by securing a bronze in Men’s Singles. He remains one of the greatest badminton players that India has ever produced.

2011 – Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponappa

India had to wait many years to see another medalist from the country at the BWF World Championships. In 2011, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won the bronze in the Women’s Doubles category. They became the first-ever pair to win a medal in the doubles category for India at the BWF World Championships and remain the only women’s pair to medal till date.

Indian Sports Live Coverage on Khel Now

2013 – PV Sindhu

Two years later, PV Sindhu became the first-ever woman from India to win a medal in the singles category at the World Championships. She won bronze for the country, her first-ever medal on the world stage.

2014 – PV Sindhu

PV Sindhu replicated her performance from a year prior at the 2014 edition. She won the bronze in Women’s Singles at the 2014 BWF World Championships, adding a second successive medal to her tally.

2015 – Saina Nehwal

Saina Nehwal joined P.V. Sindhu as the only other woman badminton player to win a World Championships medal in the singles category. She won the silver in 2015 (the first Indian to do so), impressing the fans back home.

2017 – Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu

Two years later, Saina Nehwal would go on to win her second medal at the BWF World Championships. She won the bronze in Women’s Singles at the 2017 edition. In the same edition, PV Sindhu would join Nehwal as the second woman shuttler to win a silver medal at the tournament.

2018 – PV Sindhu

There was only one medallist from India at the 2018 BWF World Championships. PV Sindhu won the silver for India, adding a fourth World Championships medal to her tally.

2019 – PV Sindhu and B. Sai Praneeth

PV Sindhu created history by becoming the first Indian shuttler to win gold at the BWF World Championships in 2019. She won gold in the women’s singles category and won a medal for the third year in a row on the world stage. Furthermore, B Sai Praneeth won the bronze in Men’s Singles, becoming the first men’s athlete to win a World Championship medal since Prakash Padukone in 1983.

2021 – Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth

The year 2021 was magnificent for male shuttlers in particular at the World Championships. While Lakshya Sen won the bronze, his first-ever medal at the tournament, Kidambi Srikanth won the silver (also his first) in Men’s Singles, becoming the first man to win silver at the World Championships.

2022 – Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy

Last year, at the 2022 BWF World Championships, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy made history by winning the bronze in Men’s Doubles, becoming the first Indian men’s pair to do so.

2023 – HS Prannoy

HS Prannoy has become the latest Indian shuttler to medal at the BWF World Championships. He joins this exclusive list after clinching a bronze medal in the 2023 edition of the Championships. Prannoy assured himself a medal by reaching the semi-finals following a stunning win over Viktor Axelsen. However, he had to settle for a bronze medal after his defeat to Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-final stage.

His bronze medal makes Prannoy only fifth Indian male shuttler to win a medal in the BWF World Championships. It also helped India extend their run of medalling in every edition of the competition since 2011. Only China are the other nation to achieve this feat.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and join our community on Telegram.