BAI selects 28 players for international exposure benefits

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) released a list of 28 players eligible to avail of its latest facility, providing much-needed international exposure to emerging Indian shuttlers.

On January 4, BAI issued a notification, asking players ranked between 26 and 75 to send an email to the Indian federation by January 6, requesting participation in three international tournaments in 2024.

The 28 players across five categories have been chosen based on their performances across multiple tournaments. These players will be fully funded for three tournaments.

The latest facility is meant for only those players who are not part of the BAI national camp but have already shown signs of brilliance, like reigning Abu Dhabi Masters champion Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, the silver medallist at the 2023 Badminton Asia U-17 Junior Championships, Anmol Kharb, national champion in women's singles, and Chirag Sen, the national champion in men's singles.

The facility has also been extended to women's singles runners-up Tharun Mannepalli and 15-year-old Tanvi Sharma - one of the youngest finalists in history.

The doubles national champions Suraj Goala-Pruthvi Roy, and Priya Konjengbam-Shruti Mishra have also been included.

The selected players have been given the option to choose three tournaments, including two Super 300 events — the Orleans Masters and Swiss Open — from eight tournaments, for which BAI will extend complete financial support to each of the shuttlers.

BAI initiated the scheme in partnership with REC Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking.

Full list of players:

Men’s singles:

1. Sathish Kumar Karunakaran (World Rank 51)

2. S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian (WR 71)

3. Sameer Verma (WR 74)

4. Chirag Sen (Senior Nationals champion)

5. Tharun Mannepalli (Senior Nationals runner-up)

Women's Singles:

1. Aakarshi Kashyap (WR 40)

2. Malvika Bansod (WR 52)

3. Unnati Hooda (WR 56)

4. Tanya Hemanth (WR 69)

5. Tasnim Mir (WR 73)

6. Imad Farooqui Samiya (WR 74)

7. Anmol Kharb (Senior National Champion)

8. Tanvi Sharma (Senior National runner-up)

Men's Doubles:

1. Hariharan Amsakarunan/Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi (WR 70)

2. P.S Ravikrishna/Sankar Prasad Udayakunar (WR 75)

3. Suraj Goala/Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy (Senior Nationals champions)

Women's Doubles:

1. Ashwini Bhat K/Shikha Gautam (WR 49)

2. Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda (WR 52)

3. Simran Singh/Ritika Thaker (WR 63)

4. Priya Konjengbam/Shruti Mishra (Senior National champions)

Mixed Doubles:

1.Sathish Kumar Karunakaran/Aadya Variyath (WR 64)