Emerging Talents Poised for Greatness at India Open 2025

New Delhi, Jan 11 (NationPress) As the India Open 2025 draws near, the excitement is palpable, not only for the legendary champions but also for the bright prospects eager to leave their imprint on one of the most esteemed badminton arenas.

A multitude of youthful Indian athletes will participate across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles disciplines, each embodying tremendous potential along with tales of resilience and fortitude.

These up-and-coming stars have consistently showcased their skills on both national and international stages, securing their spots in this Super 750 tournament. Their journey illustrates the expanding talent pool in Indian badminton, and their involvement is expected to infuse the event with vibrancy and youthful spirit.

Here’s an in-depth look at these emerging players, their achievements, and the excitement they bring to the Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2025:

Women’s Singles

Rakshita Sree Santosh Ramraj

Rakshita Sree is a talented singles competitor from Tamil Nadu who has been steadily ascending the international rankings over the past year. The 17-year-old, noted for her height and physique on the domestic circuit, secured her inaugural international title by triumphing at the Slovenia Open and followed it up with a gold medal at the CM Trophy International Challenge in Raipur.

In 2024, she reached the finals of the Telangana International Challenge in Hyderabad and the St. Denis Reunion Open, ultimately making it to the quarterfinals of the senior nationals held in Bengaluru.

Men’s Doubles

Pruthvi K Roy/K Sai Pratheek

Pruthvi began his badminton journey at the age of 10 in Shimoga, Karnataka, initially concentrating on singles until he shifted to Bengaluru to hone his doubles skills. He then moved to the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, where he formed a partnership with Suraj Goala to win the senior Nationals men’s doubles title last year.

His partner, K. Sai Pratheek, has been part of the national team setup for several years and was a member of the Indian men’s team that earned a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games. Together, Pruthvi and Sai Pratheek clinched the India International in Hyderabad, finished as runners-up in the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament, and reached the semifinals of the Odisha Masters Super 100.

Mayank RaChayanit Joshi

Both Mayank Rana from Haryana and Chayanit Joshi from Uttarakhand were notable singles players during their junior years, even achieving podium finishes in All India ranking tournaments. They transitioned to doubles and had played with various partners until early last year.

Since forming a partnership, Rana and Joshi have participated in nine tournaments, reaching the semifinals of the Sri Lanka International Challenge and CM Trophy India International Challenge, concluding the year with a runners-up finish at the Nepal International Challenge.

Women’s Doubles

Mansa Rawat/Gayatri Rawat

The Rawat sisters hailing from Almora, Uttarakhand, relocated to Bengaluru in their early teens to pursue badminton. After initially focusing on singles, they redirected their efforts to girls' doubles over the past three to four years, resulting in promising outcomes.

The runners-up of the 2023 junior national championships began competing on the senior international circuit in 2024 and have since won the Kampala International and Uganda International Series titles, culminating with a semifinal finish at the Odisha Masters Super 100 in Bhubaneshwar.

Apoorva Gahlawat/Sakshi Gahlawat

The Gahlawat sisters from Sonipat have been balancing their studies with consistent training on the national and international badminton circuit for several years.

Apoorva and Sakshi were integral to the Haryana women’s team that clinched the Senior Inter-State title for the first time earlier this year, aiming to build on their successful 2024 season with a strong showing at the India Open Super 750.

Mrunmayee Deshpande/Prerna Alvekar

Mrunmayee Deshpande and Prerna Alvekar, both from Maharashtra, embarked on their badminton journeys from Sholapur and Kolhapur, areas not typically recognized for producing elite badminton players.

Initially successful in singles at the state level, they transitioned to doubles to target larger tournaments. The left-right pairing has shown promise on the national circuit and reached the semifinals of the Sri Lanka International Series last year.

The India Open Super 750 will mark their seventh international competition together, and the duo hopes to captivate fans with their flair and determination.

Sania Sikkandar/Rashmi Ganesh

Both Sania Sikkandar from Tamil Nadu and Rashmi Ganesh from Karnataka have been diligently competing in their respective state circuits, reaching the medal rounds in both singles and doubles.

Sania also secured a bronze medal at the Khelo India Youth Games 2022. The young duo commenced their international journey just over six months ago and are steadily progressing, making their participation in the India Open Super 750 a valuable experience.

Kavya Gupta/Radhika Sharma

The combination of experience and youth in the pairing of Kavya Gupta and Radhika Sharma holds great promise. Kavya has played women’s doubles for years alongside her sister Khushi, while Radhika, the elder sister of emerging women’s singles talent Tanvi, has recently transitioned from singles to doubles.

Having only played three tournaments together on the international circuit so far, the India Open Super 750 will serve as a true test of their ability to compete against the best in the world.

Mixed Doubles

Ashith Surya/Amrutha Prathumesh

Ashith and Amrutha are both late bloomers who have pursued badminton while managing their higher education commitments. Ashith has completed his engineering degree, while Amrutha aspires to become a lawyer.

The duo trains together in Bengaluru and has been consistently achieving commendable results on the circuit, earning them a spot in the India Open Super 750.

This world-ranked no. 54 pair participated in last year’s Sri Lanka International Challenge and reached the finals of the CM Trophy International Challenge in Raipur.