Victory and defeat in sports can transcend the vicissitudes of life. Winning surely is the ultimate goal. But like the mythical Sisyphus, the arduous journey to the summit can be an affirmation in itself. For India, the badminton World Championships in Delhi turned out to be one of those bitter-sweet experiences where a women’s doubles bronze was the saving grace. India have seen better days at the tournament in which double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu won five medals, including gold in 2019. London Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal and doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty medalled at two editions each. In 2017, 2019 and 2021, India won two medals in women’s and men’s singles.
But Delhi belied the hopes that follow hosting rights. India’s top singles players Lakshya Sen exited in the round of 32. All the singles challenges ended in round of 16 and men’s doubles was over in the quarters. Ayush Shetty showed glimpses of talent in the first game before fizzling out in the next. Women’s doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly—among the brightest on the doubles circuit for a couple of years—dug deep to give India one medal. The medal was the culmination of their long-term planning. With the Asian Games just about three weeks away, the win augurs well for the duo.
As age is catching up with stars like Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth, India’s bench strength is getting exposed. The country has been hosting India Open since 2008 as a Super 500 event, upgraded to Super 750—top-tier tournament categories on the Badminton World Federation tour. But even there, India failed to win any medal at the 2026 edition.
The lone bright spot had been the organisational part. After heavy criticism in January for unhygienic and mediocre playing conditions at India Open in Delhi, the World Championships was organised without embarrassment. The stadium was upgraded and the indoor conditions spruced up. With the BWF shifting India Open to February to avoid peak pollution, the tournament’s next season promises to be better managed. But for results on the court, India need to ponder over their shortcomings and find a solution. Or else, hosting top international events would come to naught. After a point, the journey to the top will be considered arduous, not joyous.