Age of Indian shuttlers when they were ranked World No. 1

Satwik-Chirag is the first Indian men's doubles pair to reach the top spot.

India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the prominent men's doubles pair, achieved a historic milestone by securing the No. 1 position in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings. Their remarkable accomplishment follows their gold medal victory in the men's doubles event at the recently concluded Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China.

The confident and fearless pair played like the true champion and rightfully earned the top ranking. Fondly recognized as 'Sat-Chi' by their fans, the duo climbed two spots to claim the coveted top spot, post Asian Games 2023 winning exploits.

In the history of Indian badminton, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty join a select group of renowned shuttlers who have attained the top pot in the global stage. Prior to them, this distinction was achieved by Indian badminton legends such as Prakash Padukone, Saina Nehwal, and Kidambi Srikanth.

Chirag Shetty (26)

The recent Asian Games gold medal sensation Chirag-Satwik were at their absolute pinnacle of their career. Chirag Shetty became the world's No.1 post-Asian Games and attracted huge attention because of his aggressive style of play. The opponents feared his monster jump smashes which were very hard to defend.

He surprised his opponents with his lightning-fast movements near the net area complimented well with Satwik and became the most feared duo at the Asian games men's doubles events.

Prakash Padukone (24)

Prakash Padukone was ranked World No.1 aged 24 in 1980. Known as the "Gentle Tiger" on the court, Prakash in the same year, became the first Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Championships. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1972, Padma Shri in 1982, and even received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award in 2021 from the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

Saina Nehwal (25)

In 2015, Saina Nehwal reached the world No. 1 ranking at the age of 25, becoming India's first female player to achieve this status and the second Indian after Prakash Padukone.

She has participated in three Olympics, earning a bronze medal in London 2012. She boasts 24 international titles, including ten Superseries titles. The Hyderabadi girl is known for being a trendsetter, as she is the first Indian badminton player to have won an Olympic medal, the first Indian to have reached the final of the BWF World Championships, and the first Indian to have won the BWF World Junior Championships.

Kidambi Srikanth (25)

A consistent winning streak in 2017 got Kidambi Srikanth to No.1 ranking at the age of 25. He is the only Indian shuttler and the fourth in the world to have won four Super Series titles in a calendar year. Srikanth emerged as the first-ever Indian to win a silver medal and enter the World Championships final in the men's singles.

Hailing from Hyderabad and under the supervision of Pullela Gopichand he achieved a monumental feat after Prakash Padukone in men's section. Srikanth will be always known for his tremendous exploits and is still an active singles player who is hungry for a few more achievements under his kitty.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (23)

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy from Amalapuram became the youngest Indian shuttler to achieve this feat at the young age of 23. Satwik a hard-hitting shuttler made heads turn with his immaculate defense and kept his cool in the nervy situation. He showed great maneuvers and along with Chirag, were at their tactical best throughout the quadrennial extravaganza.

The above-mentioned list is a testament to the growth of badminton sports in India. These extraordinary individuals have contributed to taking Indian badminton to the peaks of the global stage and will continue to inspire the younger generation in years to come.