P. V. Sindhu is easily the face of Indian badminton, not only representing the nation valiantly on the court, but also advocating for its evolution and identity off it. After winning incredible accolades on the world stage, the 31-year-old is naturally excited to have the opportunity to bid to reclaim the top step of the Badminton World Championships – an event she won in Basel in 2019 – on home soil.
“Playing at home is always good and exciting; our athletes will get to see a lot of top-level players up close… so much to look forward to,” Sindhu told Sportstar.
She was 14 when India last hosted the coveted event, in Hyderabad, and has had the best view of how the sport has evolved, in terms of infrastructure and intent.
“It was a long time back. I was a small kid who used to come to the stadium every single day, running from here to there. When I look back, I wonder what I was even doing. But from then until now, badminton as a sport has evolved so much. The support has been amazing – from the governments at both levels, the sports authorities and other sponsors,” Sindhu said.
The biggest change from then to now has been the access players now have to an elaborate support staff that handles different aspects of an athlete’s performance, development, and longevity.
“A player might win medals – that’s one thing, and yes, infrastructure and the sponsors and support systems matter. But there’s also the work behind the scenes by the coaches and support staff. When we’re injured or not able to give our best, it’s their job to get us back on court as fit as possible, so they deserve a lot of credit for taking us all to the next level,” she explained.
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Sindhu’s 2019 World gold was a watershed moment for Indian badminton and for women’s sports overall. It catapulted the ace shuttler into a commercial brand to be reckoned with too, but the bigger changes, for her, have come in how she approaches the sport.
“The whole game style – the way one thinks – changes a lot. I am more experienced now. Back then, we were just playing, making mistakes, accepting it and moving on. Now, we are more mature about what needs to change and how to make those changes happen. Even injury management has changed, physically and mentally. The changing support also made a big difference. Sponsor support, even from government schemes like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, ensured that whenever I needed anything, it was made available to me. So, it’s been a different journey altogether, from when I started to now.”
Sindhu made a commendable Worlds debut at just 18 in the 2013 chapter, returning with a historic bronze. She went on to add another bronze (2014), two silvers (2017, 2018), and a gold to her kitty.
A quarterfinal exit in 2021 and 2025, a stress fracture-induced withdrawal in 2022, and a second-round exit in 2023 mean Sindhu’s trophy cabinet is left yearning for another valuable addition. No longer an underdog, and fresh from a historic win at the Japan Open recently, Sindhu will hope to snap that drought at home this time.
“Irrespective of the medal, I want to give my best and play my game. I’ve worked hard, so I want to put in all my effort into this tournament. If I do get a medal, I’ll be more than happy, because winning it on home soil, for the country, is all I could ask for.”
Published on Aug 13, 2026
