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Syed Modi badminton: India’s young blood promises sustained podium finishes
India's women's badminton is evolving with a new generation, featuring seven players in the BWF top 50, including promising talents like Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma.
India’s women’s singles badminton is transitioning from the Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu era to a promising generation of depth and talent. With seven players in the BWF top 50 as of mid-2025, including Sindhu at No 13 and Malvika Bansod at No 42, the focus shifts to teenagers challenging veterans.
Youngsters like Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma lead this surge, blending aggression, resilience, and consistent upsets against top seeds. Unnati, 18, from Haryana exemplifies the new guard’s boldness. She stunned PV Sindhu at the 2025 China Open, reaching the quarterfinals after also defeating former top-30 player Kirsty Gilmour, before falling to Akane Yamaguchi.
At the Hylo Open 2025, Hooda advanced to the semi-finals, losing narrowly to World No 7 Putri Kusuma Wardani, while her earlier Odisha Masters Super 100 win in 2022 marked her breakout. Ranked around No. 35, her smashes and court coverage signal top-20 potential by 2028 Olympics.
“It sounds great when people say to me that I am good enough to carry the legacy of greats like Saina and Sindhu in the badminton world, and I would be happy, if I could become like them,” said Unnati soon after making it to the semi-finals of the Super 300 Syed Modi India International Badminton Tournament for the third successive year in Lucknow on Friday.
Bronze medallist at the World Junior Mixed Team Championship, top-seeded Unnati defeated compatriot Rakshita Sri Santosh in a three-game thriller 21-10, 13-21, 21-15. “Becoming Saina and Sindhu will take time and more effort, too. It’s not only me or Tanvi Sharma but there are so many other players who are playing well internationally and whosoever will work harder, will be on top of the group in future,” she said.
She admired the success journey of Sindhu at the international level, including her success in Olympics as well as in the World Championships, but Unnati said everyone has her own journey and hers will be different from others. “For sure, my journey will be different from Sindhu.”
Tanvi Sharma, who claimed silver at the 2025 BWF World Junior Championships in Guwahati, defeating China’s Liu Si Ya in the semifinals and rallying past Japan’s Saki Matsumoto in quarters, has been one of the top flag-bearers of the women’s badminton in India.
Tanvi’s 2025 bronze at Badminton Asia Juniors and US Open final run highlight stamina in three-game thrillers, positioning her for senior breakthroughs. She added one more feather in her cap on Thursday, beating Olympics bronze medallist and former World No 1 Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the quarterfinals here before outplaying LO Sin Yan Happy of Hong Kong China 21-13, 21-19 also to make it to the semi-finals on Friday.
“I was focused on my game plan and I didn’t lose control over the proceedings in the second game too,” said Tanvi on Friday.
Besides Tanvi and Unnati, other emerging contenders include Malvika Bansod, 23 and ranked No 27 earlier in 2025. She became the third Indian after Nehwal and Sindhu to hit top-25, with upsets like Paris Olympian Gregoria Tunjung at China Open and a Hylo Open final.
Anmol Kharb, 17, secured gold in the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships and her first senior international title at Belgian International.
Isharani Baruah, 21 and around No. 60-71, won the 2025 Réunion Open and reached the Malaysia International final, showing domestic strength.
In fact, India boasts 17 women in BWF top 100, with nine under 20, as per April 2025 rankings, signaling a bench deeper than the solo-hero era. And coach Pullela Gopichand emphasises this pack of 6-7 top-30 prospects over waiting for a “next Sindhu,” prioritising fitness for sustained wins.
As Hooda, Sharma, Bansod, and peers climb, expect podium finishes at 2028 Olympics, powered by academies and BAI support. This youth wave promises sustained medals beyond Nehwal and Sindhu’s legacy.
