Tushar, Rakshitha clinch titles as India wins 3 crowns at Telangana International Challenge 2026
Synopsis
India swept three titles at the Telangana International Challenge 2026 in Hyderabad on Sunday — Tushar Suveer coming back from a game down in the men's singles, Rakshitha Sree doing the same in women's, and the Garaga-Roy pair wrapping up men's doubles in a brisk 34 minutes. Ashwini Ponnappa reached her first final of the 2026 BWF season, only to come away with silver.
Key Takeaways
India claimed 3 titles at the Telangana India International Challenge 2026 in Hyderabad on 8 November 2026 .
Tushar Suveer (6th seed) won the men's singles, defeating Bharat Raghav 15-21, 21-18, 21-19 in 58 minutes .
Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj (top seed) claimed women's singles, beating Rujula Ramu 16-21, 21-15, 21-14 in 53 minutes .
Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy won men's doubles 21-12, 21-18 in just 34 minutes .
Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Ashwini Ponnappa finished runners-up in mixed doubles; it was Ponnappa's first BWF final of the 2026 season .
Japan's Mei Sudo and Mai Tanabe took the women's doubles title, defeating Thailand's top seeds 21-11, 21-11 .
India rounded off a commanding performance at the Telangana India International Challenge 2026 in Hyderabad on 8 November 2026, claiming three titles across men's singles, women's singles, and men's doubles at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy. Tushar Suveer, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, and the men's doubles pair of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy were the architects of the home nation's haul.
Tushar Suveer's men's singles comeback
Sixth seed Tushar Suveer delivered one of the more hard-fought victories of the day, rallying from a first-game deficit to overcome fellow Indian Bharat Raghav in the men's singles final. After conceding the opener 15-21, Tushar regrouped to take the next two games 21-18, 21-19, sealing the title in 58 minutes.
His path to the final was equally impressive. Tushar swept past Ansh Negi in the pre-quarterfinals, then eliminated top seed Kiran George 21-12, 21-17 in the quarterfinals. A 21-14, 21-19 semifinal win over Hmar Lalthzuala booked his place in the title match. The victory builds on a strong recent run — the previous week, Tushar had reached the semifinals of the India International Challenge in Bengaluru.
Rakshitha Sree's dominant women's singles run
Top seed Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj was equally determined in the women's draw, overturning an early deficit to defeat ninth seed Rujula Ramu 16-21, 21-15, 21-14 in 53 minutes. The win added an international title to her growing list of honours, following her earlier triumph at the Vietnam International Challenge in 2026.
Rakshitha's route to the final was no straightforward affair. She opened with a straight-game win over Mariia Golubeva, then navigated a three-game contest against Tanvi Reddy. A 21-17, 21-11 quarterfinal victory over Adarshini Shri Boopathy Balaji was followed by a three-game semifinal win over Adita Rao.
Garaga and Roy seal men's doubles in 34 minutes
Top seeds Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy made short work of the men's doubles final, dismantling fifth-seeded compatriots Sai Pratheek K and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi 21-12, 21-18 in just 34 minutes. The all-Indian final reflected India's depth in the men's doubles category.
The pair had come through a testing draw, surviving a three-game encounter against Pavan Suresh and Punith Suresh along the way, before beating Malaysia's Lau Yi Sheng and Lee Yi Bo in the semifinals.
Mixed doubles silver and Japan's women's doubles title
Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Ashwini Ponnappa narrowly missed a fourth Indian crown, settling for silver in mixed doubles. The Indian pair took the opening game against Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova, but the second seeds fought back to win 19-21, 21-11, 21-13 in 50 minutes. The final was Ponnappa's first appearance in a final on the 2026 BWF circuit — a notable milestone for the three-time Olympian.
In women's doubles, fifth seeds Mei Sudo and Mai Tanabe of Japan claimed the remaining title, overpowering Thailand's top seeds Phattharin Aiamvareesrisakul and Sarisa Janpeng 21-11, 21-11 in a one-sided final. India's strong overall showing underscores the depth emerging in domestic badminton ahead of future BWF-level competitions.
Point of View
But the real story is in the details. Both Tushar and Rakshitha had to come from behind in their respective finals — suggesting resilience, but also vulnerability against peers they should theoretically dominate from the front. The Garaga-Roy men's doubles performance was the cleanest win of the lot, completed in 34 minutes against fellow Indians, hinting at a partnership that could punch above this circuit's weight. Ponnappa's first final of the 2026 BWF season is worth watching — at this stage of her career, any finals appearance matters as a form signal for higher-level selection conversations.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Telangana India International Challenge 2026?
India dominated the tournament, winning three titles. Tushar Suveer claimed men's singles, Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj won women's singles, and the pair of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy took the men's doubles crown at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad on 8 November 2026.
How did Tushar Suveer win the men's singles final?
Tushar Suveer recovered from losing the first game 15-21 to defeat fellow Indian Bharat Raghav 21-18, 21-19 in the second and third games, winning the title in 58 minutes. He also knocked out top seed Kiran George 21-12, 21-17 in the quarterfinals en route to the title.
What was Rakshitha Sree's path to the women's singles title?
Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj, the top seed, overcame ninth seed Rujula Ramu 16-21, 21-15, 21-14 in 53 minutes. Her run included wins over Mariia Golubeva, Tanvi Reddy, Adarshini Shri Boopathy Balaji, and Adita Rao. It was her second international title of 2026, following a win at the Vietnam International Challenge.
What happened in the mixed doubles final at Telangana Challenge 2026?
Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Ashwini Ponnappa won the first game but lost the mixed doubles final to Rodion Alimov and Alina Davletova 19-21, 21-11, 21-13 in 50 minutes. It was Ponnappa's first final appearance on the 2026 BWF circuit, and the three-time Olympian settled for silver.
Which country won the women's doubles title at Telangana International Challenge 2026?
Japan won the women's doubles, with fifth seeds Mei Sudo and Mai Tanabe defeating Thailand's top-seeded combination of Phattharin Aiamvareesrisakul and Sarisa Janpeng 21-11, 21-11 in a dominant final.
