10 Memorable Moments in Indian Badminton

Badminton has always been a source of pride for India.The nation has seen success in the sport even while not enjoying the same in other areas.Let us look at the most memorable moments the game has produced from an Indian perspective.

        A Song unheard

Though never celebrated,Prakash Nath was the first Indian to reach the final of the All England Championship. He achieved this feat in 1947. The final was won by Conny Jepsen 15-7,15-11 and there are tales of how Prakash Nath might have won the match hadn’t he known about riots in his hometown,Lahore. We do not know that for sure,but he certainly made us proud. It is a shame that he passed away,unsung,unrecognised.

The first taste of victory

India’s first shuttler to be ranked in the top five, Nandu Natekar brought the nation’s first tournament win abroad. It was the singles title in Sellanger Championship in 1954, the most historic and memorable moment for the sport’s history in India. The Ranjitsinhji of badminton went on to win the Merdeka Tournament and the King’s Cup in the same year, promoting him to the 4th rank and giving us memories to cherish.Stepping stone

Prakash Padukone produced the country’s most inspiring moments, when he beat Liem Swie King 15-3,15-10 in the final of the All England Championship. His victory in 1980 may have been eclipsed by other victories in terms of magnitude,but it will always remain one of India’s most glorious moments.Aparna’s Amazing success streak

Winning the French Open and Asian Satellite tournamnet,finishing second in singles at the Commonwealth Games and leading India to bronze in the team event,Aparna Popat’s amazing run in 1998 was the stepping stone for women’s badminton in the country.The 9 time national champion was at her best,and her best was the nation’s joy.The re-birth

After a lull in international success for India, P.Gopichand brought reason to cheer in 2001,beating Chen Hong to clinch the All England Championship. Enroute the final Gopichand also got the better of then World No.1 Peter Gade. He is only the second Indian to have won the prestigious tournament.Super Saina Golden Run.

Saina’s golden run of 2010 propelled her to a career best ranking of 2, an unparalleled feat in the country’s badminton exploits. She won back-to-back Super Series titles in Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong and also the Gold in the Commonwealth Games. She also performed pretty well in other major tournaments, re-wrting history in the process.History 

Ashwini Ponappa and Jwala Gutta created history when they won India’s first medal at the World Championships in women’s doubles.They stormed into the semi-finals of the 2011 edition of the event,but lost to the Chinese 5th seeds,hence winning the bronze and many hearts.The dream

India badminton’s best moment yet was in 2012, when Saina Nehwal bagged bronze at the London Olympics. She became the first shuttler from the country to win a medal at the Olympics and a household name when her hardwork paid off at the quadrennial event.

Entering with a Bang!

PV Sindhu,the future of Indian badminton,secured her place in history when she won the bronze medal in singles at the World Championships in Guangzhou at the age of 18.A big boost to her confidence,the medal also assured fans that the future has sweeter moments to look forward to.Old horses,fresh faces,new hopes and proven points.

A success story like no other,Indian badminton reached a new high when the team won 4 medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.PV Sindhu and Gurusai Dutt won bronze,while Jwala-Ashwini won silver. But these were bettered by P.Kashyap when he triumphed in the final and clinched gold in the men’s singles.

The past has been memorable for badminton. Recent exploits have given rise to new hopes and expectations. Whether our stars can live up to them,remains to be seen. As of now,the future looks bright.