New Hub for India’s Champion Women Shuttlers

• 27 Dec 2024

Why in News? 

Haryana boasts a significant contribution to India's Olympians and Olympic medalists. At Paris 2024, nearly one-fourth of the country's Olympians hailed from the state, along with four out of five individual medalists. 

 Key Points 

• Growth of Badminton: 
  • Haryana has witnessed increasing grassroots participation in various sports, with badminton becoming the latest discipline to gain significant traction. 
• Rising Badminton Stars: 
  • Saina Nehwal, a London Olympics 2012 bronze medalist, hails from Haryana but trained in Hyderabad. 
  • Players like Anmol Kharb, who helped India clinch their first Badminton Asia title in 2024 at just 17, and Unnati Hooda have honed their skills in Haryana. 
  • Haryana’s women’s team won their first-ever Senior National badminton championship gold, with Devika Sihag claiming the women’s singles title, marking a hat-trick after Anmol (2023) and Anupama Upadhyaya (2022). 
• Shifting Focus from Traditional Sports: 
  • Areas like Rohtak and Sonepat, traditionally known for kabaddi and wrestling, are now seeing parents encourage badminton due to its non-contact nature and compatibility with education. 
  • Increased ranking tournaments in North India have provided more opportunities for local players. 
• Future Goals: 
  • Coaches emphasized the need to translate national-level victories into international success. 
  • Haryana continues to prioritize performance over commercial interests, aiming to replicate its wrestling dominance in badminton.