'Growing Badminton Needs Collective Effort': Why India's Thomas Cup Medallists Are Vexed

Last Updated:May 05, 2026, 20:22 IST

India's badminton stars request better promotion and recognition for the Thomas Cup bronze-winning team and upcoming major events.

Two days after India’s men’s badminton team won a bronze at the Thomas Cup, an Instagram story from star doubles shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy drew a lot of attention. The photo featured the team, with zero fanfare before and after their podium finish at the marquee event.

“Back home now. As usual, no one knows what happened over the past two weeks and it seems like no one really cares," Satwik captioned the picture. Minutes later, his doubles partner, Chirag Shetty, shared the post, as it went viral on social media.

The men’s team, hence, were disappointed by the muted reception on their return to India, which showed in their social media posts and they demanded that a lot more needed to be done in order for them to get the deserved recognition.

But what needs to be done?

“To be honest, I don’t really know what more needs to be done. The government and the association have supported us well over the past decade and that is why we have been able to compete at this level," star singles shuttler HS Prannoy replied to a query from News18 Sports during an interaction facilitated by the Sports Authority of India.

“But when it comes to big events like the Thomas Cup, we need to promote the sport differently. Right now, there is not much buzz unless we reach the semifinals, which is unfortunate," Prannoy adds.

The star shuttler said that there needed to be more build-up, at least a week or 10 days before the tournament, with greater coverage and more stories to raise awareness and excitement.

“As players, we have tried to do our bit by coming up with new ideas, like designing team jerseys to create some buzz among fans and highlight the importance of the event," Prannoy says.

“With upcoming tournaments like the Asian Games, it is important to build that excitement and give fans something to look forward to. There are also structural problems; for example, there is no prize money in the BWF World Championships, which feels unusual compared to other sports," Prannoy adds.

The star shuttler said that addressing such problems would make a difference for players.

“Overall, it is a gradual process. We, as players, are doing everything we can to build the culture and raise awareness, but it will take consistent effort from everyone involved to grow the sport," Prannoy concludes.

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