India Aims Junior Glory
With Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Vennala Kalalagotla, and Rakshitha Ramraj in a strong women’s singles lineup, India may face team championship powerhouse Korea to secure a podium.
Powerhouses China and Indonesia, as well as Korea and Japan, will face the Indian team in the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati.
With 36 teams competing for the prestigious Suhandinata Cup, India, who are seeded second, is predicted to win their group and will play Nepal in Group H on Monday to start their campaign. India has a strong women’s singles lineup that includes Unnati Hooda, a quarterfinalist at the China Open, Tanvi Sharma and Vennala Kalalagotla, both Asian junior bronze champions, and Rakshitha Ramraj, a gifted shuttler from Coimbatore who has a Top 25 senior scalp.
A current and former junior world number one is part of the impressive lineup for the home worlds, which will begin Monday at the National Centre of Excellence.
India Targets Historic Medal
Even though India has won several individual titles, notably Saina Nehwal’s gold in 2008, the nation has not been able to perform at its best. With Nehwal’s victory and Guru Saudutt’s bronze, the BWF World Junior Championships have really returned to India after a 17-year hiatus.
In Group H, which includes UAE, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, India is the favorite to win the group and contend for a medal in the recently implemented best-of-three-set relay scoring structure, where each set is a race to 45 points.
India’s first match is against Nepal on Monday. They then play Sri Lanka on Tuesday and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. Former champions South Korea, who are predicted to win Group G, will probably be their opponent. A victory against them should secure the hosts a historic first medal.
India Confident Girls’ Singles
Girls’ singles will be India’s main source of medal hopes in individual events. “All four of our female singles competitors are in the running for medals and have a chance to take home the gold.” “On their day, even our lads can defeat any opponent, and I have no doubt that they will do really well at home,” said Park Tae-Sang, the team’s international singles coach.
China, the 14-time champions, and badminton powerhouses Japan, South Korea, Thailand, or Indonesia, the holders of a historic medal in the most prestigious and most competitive junior tournament, are among the other potential medal hopefuls. While India fell to Japan in the semifinals, Indonesia is the team in form, having defeated China in February to win the Asian Mixed team championship.
“Over the last several years, we have been doing very well in the junior competitions, and BAI has given the players ample exposure to help them get ready for the World Junior Championships in Guwahati.” Since the majority of the squad has been preparing at this very location for the past year or so, we are once again anticipating several medals this time around,” said BAI Secretary Sanjay Mishra.
India Eyes Boys’ Success
Junior world no. 14 Rounak Chohan and 17-year-old Gnana Dattu TT will be the main targets of India’s ambitions in the boys’ singles division.
The boys doubles team of Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu achieved the world No. 1 rating in January of this year, therefore the hosts would also be looking for a noteworthy showing in the partnered competitions.
“I am aware that India has never previously taken home a medal in the partnered events, but we have a strong lineup this time around. These players have been competing often on the tour, so practicing here should be very beneficial to them,” according to Russian doubles specialist coach Ivan Sozonov.