The phenomenal success of India's premier men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, has triggered a seismic shift in the country's badminton landscape. A wave of young shuttlers is now passionately embracing doubles, moving beyond the traditional singles-focused pathway, and leading to an unprecedented surge in tournament participation across the nation.
The Numbers Tell the Story: A Nationwide Participation Boom
The evidence of this boom is stark and visible in the overflowing draw sheets of national and state-ranking tournaments. A recent national-ranking event in Chirag Shetty's home turf of Goregaon Sports Club, Mumbai, required an extended five days of qualification rounds before the main draw could even begin. In Goa, a tournament witnessed a staggering 2,200 entries, with matches running on 26 courts across two halls and qualifiers stretching past 3 am, ultimately needing nine days to complete.
This exponential growth is not limited to premier venues. Data collected from state associations reveals a consistent upward trend. Eight out of ten states reported a minimum year-on-year increase of 10% in entries for both singles and doubles at their ranking events. The ripple effect is profound. For instance, the Krishna Khaitan Memorial junior tournament in Panchkula saw Under-19 boys' doubles entries double from 104 pairs in 2012 to 208 in 2022.
"When I started playing, the number of doubles entries was far less," Chirag Shetty confirmed, observing the change firsthand. "Now, there are kids focussing only on doubles right from the Under-15, Under-17 categories, which is a welcome change."
Beyond Metros: Badminton's Expanding Geography
A significant development highlighted by Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra is the sport's dramatic geographical expansion. Previously concentrated in hubs like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, talent is now bubbling up from every corner of India. Players from Punjab, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu are emerging in large numbers, aided by better access to facilities and upskilled grassroots coaches.
Remote centers like Raigad, Chandrapur, Khammam, and Shimoga are regularly attracting 400-plus entries in junior categories. Rajasthan has seen a spectacular 70% jump in state ranking entries, from 517 in 2022 to 893 in 2024. "Our doubles talent is tall and strong," noted KK Sharma, secretary of the Rajasthan Badminton Association, from Bhilwara, a city once known for volleyball and basketball.
This democratization of opportunity is creating new champions. Doubles specialist C Lalramsanga, who helped India win a junior Worlds bronze, hails from the outskirts of Aizawl, Mizoram, while junior singles silver medallist Tanvi Sharma is from Hoshiarpur in Punjab.
The Satwik-Chirag Effect: Redefining Career Pathways
The most transformative trend is the newfound seriousness towards doubles as a primary career choice, directly inspired by the World No. 1 pair. For years, Indian badminton prioritized singles, following the trails blazed by Prakash Padukone, P. Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, and P.V. Sindhu. Doubles was often an afterthought, something players tried after singles ambitions waned.
Satwik and Chirag's historic achievements—including Asian Games gold, Commonwealth Games gold, and the World No. 1 ranking—have shattered that ceiling. "Plenty of people have walked up to us to say that we were the reason why they started playing and focussing on doubles," Shetty shared. "People actually see a possibility in playing doubles and making it a career option."
Administrators across the board corroborate this shift. "Satwik and Chirag's good performance has had a direct impact," stated Siddharth Patil, secretary of the Maharashtra Badminton Association. "No more playing all three events and deciding on doubles after failing in singles." Rajesh Reddy from the Karnataka Badminton Association added that the quality in doubles is now "very high, tough from round one," as players are serious and believe they can succeed.
Interestingly, the search for the next breakthrough has even sparked interest in mixed doubles, an event where India is still seeking top-tier success. Some academies are reportedly seeking specialist coaches from Indonesia, indicating a new level of "laser focus" on specialization from a young age.
The crest of the wave that began with Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu has not subsided. Instead, it has been powerfully amplified by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, creating a deeper, wider, and more diverse pool of talent. As young shuttlers from Mizoram to Maharashtra pick up their rackets with dreams of doubles glory, the foundation of Indian badminton is being fundamentally and excitingly rewritten.
