Over the past few years, Indian badminton players have been rewriting history with sheer grit and determination—winning medals, defeating higher-ranked opponents, and proving that India is no longer just a participant but a formidable challenger on the global stage.
As we step into 2025, a new wave of champions is ready to hoist the tricolour high and carry forward the legacy of our badminton legends. These rising stars promise to keep India’s dominance alive internationally.
In this blog, we spotlight the upcoming Indian badminton stars to watch in 2025—their journey, achievements, and why they matter.
Meet the Upcoming Indian Badminton Stars of 2025
Anupama Upadhyaya | Age: 20 | World Ranking: 38 (as of July 22, 2025) | Specialisation: Singles
image courtesy: CNBTV18.com
Anupama is one of India’s most promising women’s singles shuttlers. Rising swiftly from junior dominance to national champion status, she has already left her mark.
* Became BWF World Junior No. 1 in 2022
* Clinched the Women’s Singles title at the Senior Nationals at just 18
* Multiple BWF International titles, including India International Challenge, Polish Open, Tajikistan International, and Kazakhstan International Challenge
* Defended her Polish Open title in 2024 and also won the Kazakhstan Challenge
K. Sai Pratheek | Age: 25 | World Ranking: 35 (Men’s Doubles, 2025) | Specialisation: Doubles
image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com
Sai Pratheek is a disciplined and versatile doubles player who has strengthened India’s doubles line-up with his adaptability and consistency.
* Silver medal in Men’s Team Event, 2022 Asian Games (Hangzhou)
* Multiple men’s and mixed doubles titles at BWF International events
* World Tour finalist and semi-finalist across International Challenge and Series tournaments
Pruthvi K. Roy | Age: 23 | World Ranking: 35 (Men’s Doubles, 2025) | Specialisation: Doubles
image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com
At just 23, Pruthvi has proven his mettle by defeating experienced names at national and international levels.
* Won Men’s Doubles at the Senior Nationals (with Suraj Goala)
* Runner-up at the 2024 Syed Modi India International (with K. Sai Pratheek)
* Podium finish in Men’s Doubles at the 2023 National Games, representing Karnataka
Unnati Hooda | Age: 17 | World Ranking: 30 | Specialisation: Singles
image courtesy: https://indianexpress.com/
Unnati is already making headlines with her fearless gameplay. In 2024, she stunned two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu at the China Open Super 1000—one of the youngest Indians to achieve such a feat.
* Youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title
* Won the Odisha Open in 2022 at just 14
* Added Abu Dhabi Masters and India International Challenge titles in 2023
Treesa Jolly | Age: 22 | World Ranking: 12 (as of June 3, 2025) | Specialisation: Doubles
image courtesy: https://www.instagram.com
Hailing from Kerala, Treesa has established herself as a key figure in women’s doubles. Trained at the Gopichand Academy, she has already reached a career-high ranking of No. 9 in early 2025.
* Bronze medal in Women’s Doubles, 2022 Commonwealth Games (with Gayatri Gopichand)
* Gold medal in Women’s Team Event, 2022 Commonwealth Games
* Champion in Women’s Doubles at the 2024 Syed Modi International (Super 300)
* Multiple World Tour finals appearances
Gayatri Gopichand Pullela | Age: 22 | World Ranking: 12 (as of June 3, 2025) | Specialisation: Doubles
image courtesy: https://www.mid-day.com/
Daughter of legendary coach Pullela Gopichand, Gayatri has grown up in a badminton household. Alongside Treesa Jolly, she has become a formidable doubles force.
* Bronze in Women’s Doubles & Silver in Mixed Team Event, 2022 Commonwealth Games
* Gold in Team Event & Silver in Women’s Doubles, 2019 South Asian Games
* Winner, Odisha Open 2022 (Super 100)
* Champion, Syed Modi International 2024 (Super 300)
* First Indian woman in 21 years to reach the All England Open semi-finals
Tanvi Sharma | Age: 16 | Junior World No. 1 (Women’s Singles) | Specialisation: Singles
image courtesy: https://indianexpress.com/
Tanvi is the youngest name on this list but already making waves with her fearless aggression and composure.
* Won U-15 and U-17 National titles
* Youngest Indian ever to reach a BWF World Tour final (Silver at US Open 2025, Super 300)
* Bronze at the 2025 Badminton Asia Junior Championships
* Gold with the Indian team at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships
Priyanshu Rajawat | Age: 23 | World Ranking: 45 (as of July 15, 2025) | Specialisation: Singles
image courtesy: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Known for his explosive smashes, Priyanshu is one of India’s most exciting men’s singles prospects.
* Part of India’s historic Thomas Cup–winning team in 2022
* Winner of Orleans Masters 2023 (Super 300)
* Runner-up at Odisha Open 2022 (Super 100)
* Multiple International Challenge titles
Malvika Bansod | Age: 23 | World Ranking: 29 | Specialisation: Singles
image courtesy: https://m.rediff.com/
Nagpur-born Malvika has been steadily rising through the ranks and is already a household name in Indian badminton.
* Defeated Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal at India Open 2022
* Silver medal at Syed Modi International 2022 (Super 300)
* Finalist at Hylo Open 2024 (Super 300)
Conclusion
From seasoned challengers like Treesa Jolly and Priyanshu Rajawat to young prodigies like Tanvi Sharma and Unnati Hooda, **Indian badminton’s future looks brighter than ever in 2025**. With each tournament, these rising stars are not just playing matches—they are scripting history, inspiring millions, and ensuring India’s tricolour continues to shine proudly on the world stage.
