AI Generated Summary
- In a landmark moment for Indian badminton, Punjab stamped its authority on the national circuit as two of its rising stars secured the top two podium spots in the under-17 boys’ singles at the 37th Sub-Junior National Badminton Championship held in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
- “He won silver last year, but today he showed maturity and precision beyond his age,” said Manpreet, a government school teacher who first enrolled his energetic seven-year-old in the Nabha Badminton Club before moving him to Delhi’s Shining Star Academy at 12, and later to the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru, where he currently trains.
- He was the youngest in the category, and he still made it to the national final,” he said, recalling years of 4 a.
In a landmark moment for Indian badminton, Punjab stamped its authority on the national circuit as two of its rising stars secured the top two podium spots in the under-17 boys’ singles at the 37th Sub-Junior National Badminton Championship held in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The remarkable achievement ended years of southern dominance in the category and showcased the state’s accelerating rise as a powerhouse of the sport.
Nabha’s prodigy Jagsher Khangurra delivered a commanding performance to defeat Jalandhar’s Viraj Sharma 21-12, 21-16, marking the first-ever all-Punjab national final at any level of Indian badminton. Former international shuttler Sachin Ratti called it a watershed moment. “We have never seen two Punjabi boys contest a national final. The transformation in infrastructure and coaching in the state has changed the trajectory of our players,” he said, noting that Jalandhar alone now houses nearly eight professional academies, each producing competitive talent.
The medal rush for Punjab didn’t end with the top two finishes. Zorawar Singh clinched double bronze in boys’ doubles and mixed doubles in the under-15 category, while 13-year-old Inayat Gulati secured two bronzes for under-15 singles and mixed doubles. According to Punjab Badminton Association honorary secretary and former national player Ritin Khanna, the surge is not incidental but the result of sustained investment. “Over the last five years, our federations and private academies have focused on world-class training and incentives. We already have international medal winners, and this generation is only going higher,” he said, listing names like Tanvi Sharma, Palak Kohli, and Abhinav Thakur among Punjab’s expanding list of top performers.
Jagsher, already twice an Asian-level bronze medallist, drew emotional praise from his father Manpreet Singh, who watched his son’s victory courtside. “He won silver last year, but today he showed maturity and precision beyond his age,” said Manpreet, a government school teacher who first enrolled his energetic seven-year-old in the Nabha Badminton Club before moving him to Delhi’s Shining Star Academy at 12, and later to the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru, where he currently trains.
Viraj’s father Rahul Sharma, who watched the match live from home, was equally overwhelmed. “This is his biggest moment yet. He was the youngest in the category, and he still made it to the national final,” he said, recalling years of 4 a.m. training sessions before school and the family’s unwavering commitment to his dream. The Class X student shifted to Noida’s Rise Sports Academy two years ago and is now being seen as a strong contender for the Asia championship selection next year.
As Punjab’s shuttlers stand tall at the national stage, Saturday’s results signal more than a medal haul—they mark a shift in India’s badminton landscape, driven by fresh talent, updated training systems, and a state determined to rewrite history.
