India’s breakthrough at the BWF World Championships came with Prakash Padukone’s historic bronze medal victory in Copenhagen in 1983. Since then India has amassed 15 podium finishes in the global tournament. India’s recent success at the World Championships include a bronze medal finish for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the men’s doubles category, the duo have emerged as trailblazers, clinching back-to-back bronzes in 2022 and 2025. As the 2025 World Championships culminated, the baton for the next edition has been handed over to India.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced that New Delhi will host the 30th edition of the prestigious BWF World Championships in August 2026, marking the return of the global badminton spectacle to India after a 17-year hiatus. The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Championships in Paris. The handover ceremony featured BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, Frank Laurent, President of the Federation Francaise de Badminton, and Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). “We assure that India will give nothing less than 100% to uphold and carry forward the same standards of excellence and grandeur that Paris has showcased,” Mishra reportedly said during the Paris ceremony.
PV Sindhu leads the Indian medal tally in BWF World Championships with five medals
India will look to replicate its success in hosting the BWF World Championships after 2009, when Hyderabad hosted the event. The nation’s consistent success, coupled with its organizational prowess, has earned it the privilege of hosting the landmark 30th edition of the tournament, which will also mark the event’s return to Asia after an eight-year gap, the last being Nanjing, China, in 2018. Following the bronze medal by Prakash Padukone, in 2011, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa became the first Indian doubles pair to medal at the World Championships, securing a bronze medal.
The women’s singles category has been particularly dominant, contributing seven of India’s 15 medals. P.V. Sindhu, one of the tournament’s most decorated players, leads the charge with five medals: a gold in 2019, two silvers, and two bronzes. Saina Nehwal has also been a pivotal figure, earning a silver in 2015 and a bronze in 2017, the latter year marking a historic moment when she and Sindhu shared the podium. The men’s contingent has also made significant strides. Kidambi Srikanth (silver, 2021), B. Sai Praneeth (bronze, 2019), Lakshya Sen (bronze, 2021), and H.S. Prannoy (bronze, 2023) have all stood on the podium in singles.
