NEW DELHI: Dented dreams, tournaments ending too soon and yet another underwhelming campaign: similar themes have played out for Indian shuttlers in recent times.What was a steady source of medals not so long ago has turned into disappointment for a country that boasts an Olympic silver medallist, world champions and some of the sport’s biggest names.The recent BWF World Championships in Paris offered another reminder. Barring Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s bronze, which, by the way, could’ve been something much better, neither PV Sindhu nor Lakshya Sen could conquer the mountain of expectation. Sindhu exited in the quarter-finals, while Lakshya’s run ended in the opener. Even if we don’t stick to one tournament and look at the bigger picture, many Indian faces who once dominated the world stage have faded in recent years, and the youngsters have not yet managed to fill that void.However, amid the reversal of fortune for Indian badminton, former junior World No. 1 in singles, Sankar Subramanian, remains hopeful, somewhat asking fans to put faith in the ‘next generation’, his generation. “As someone who has been World Junior No. 1, I feel Indian badminton is in a very promising phase. We already have world-class players who have proven themselves at the highest level, and the next generation is also showing a lot of potential,” Sankar told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive chat.Born in 2004, Sankar has so far achieved a career-best men’s singles ranking of 52, with his best result being a win over World No. 2 Anders Antonsen at the Swiss Open Super 300 tournament earlier this year in March.
Historic win over World No. 2 Anders Antonsen (File Photo)
“I can’t imagine doing anything else, maybe I’d have been a tennis player or would have been in some sport for sure! My dad played tennis, and my sister is a professional badminton player, so sports runs in the family,” he added.Sankar reached the finals of the 2021 Uganda International at just 17, won silver at the 2022 World Junior Championships. 2024 was a year where injuries, provoked by a hectic schedule, became his biggest opponent.But, he is gradually regaining his momentum: “This year, I’ve had the luxury of more training time and that’s been a big plus.”The win against Antonsen remains special, though. “It was a great win, yes, but honestly, there wasn’t time to celebrate. I just wanted to keep the momentum going,” recalled the 21-year-old. “Rankings don’t define the match for me. I just take one match at a time, no matter who’s across the net. I just try to focus on one shot at a time and keep moving forward.”Often described as defensive, Sankar wants to stay away from any labels. “For me, it’s not about proving anyone wrong; it’s about what the match demands. If the situation calls for attack, I’ll go for it,” he added.
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Even as India’s badminton presence wanes globally, Sankar is optimistic about the talent pool, though he stresses the need for more work.“To move to the next stage and consistently dominate world badminton, I think the work is already on: better grassroots programs, more access to high-performance training, and a larger support team around players, including sports science, psychology, and recovery,” he explained.Hailing from the state of Tamil Nadu, he sees progress at the state level, adding, “I’ve been closely associated with Tamil Nadu Badminton Association, and I’ve seen the progress of Tamil Nadu badminton visibly growing over the years!” With the 2028 Olympics approaching, Sankar feels Indian badminton can return to the top. “If we can build that ecosystem and give young players consistent and early exposure to international tournaments, India has the talent to not just produce champions occasionally, but to stay at the top level year after year.”Badminton in India may have lost that golden touch momentarily, but young athletes like Sankar Subramanian are at the very heart of this modern-day renaissance, doing every bit to ensure that the future is all shades of bright.
