According to Sportz Point, Indian Athletes of the Year (Male) Award goes to Indian doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

Also Read: Sportz Point Awards 2022 | All the winners

Satwik-Chirag had a sensational year in 2022, full of firsts in Indian badminton. They began 2022 by winning the India Open Super 500 title. They also played a key role in India's historic Thomas Cup triumph. The ice and fire pair then won the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, another first for Indian badminton. The historic Worlds bronze in Tokyo, of course. After that, won the French Open, which was the first Super 750 title of their career. And finally, they achieved the goal they had set for themselves last year. They reached the top 5 in the BWF rankings.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that at 25 (Chirag) and 22 (Satwik), they are already the most successful men's doubles players in India. And what's remarkable is that this success is just the beginning.

However, their desire for medals was intensified by the heartbreak of 2021. In that year, they beat the eventual Tokyo Olympic champions but were knocked out despite having the wins on the technicality of a three-way tie. After that, a revolution has come in 2022 when Danish coach Mathias Boe took the responsibility to train the duo. Boe's composure is a crucial factor in their historic Thomas Cup victory.

Last December, the Indian pair was reduced to tears and frustration as the season ended without significant silverware to show for their strong efforts. This December, they are the world's No 5 team and a genuine threat against the best. The year 2022 has been a game-changer for Indian badminton and Satwik-Chirag has led this change with its evolution. That is why, Sportz Point gave the Indian Athletes of the Year (Male) Award to the sensational Indian duo of Satwik-Chirag.

Also Read: Sportz Point Awards 2022: Athlete of the Year (Female) | Katie Ledecky

Their balance of aggression and composure will be a much-needed quality in the coming year. 2023 is a loaded season with the delayed Asian Games and Olympic qualification.

The 29th edition of the BWF World Championships 2025, officially known as the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025, was held from 25th to 31st August 2025 at the Adidas Arena, Paris, France. This was the first time since 2010 that Paris hosted the championship. The tournament featured 383 competitors from 53 nations and witnessed historic victories across categories.

SHI Yu Qi of China won his first-ever World Championship crown, defeating defending champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the men's singles final. His earlier notable achievement was a runner-up finish at the 2018 BWF World Championships.

Also Read: Best Indian Performances in Olympic History

On the other hand, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi clinched her third World Championship title in the women's singles category, defeating China’s CHEN Yu Fei. She previously won in 2021 and 2022, and now equals Spain’s Carolina Marin’s record of three titles.

South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae won their first Men’s Doubles World Championship title, defeating Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China. Seo Seung Jae had earlier secured Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles in the 2023 BWF World Championships.

In the women’s doubles, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China won their maiden world title by defeating Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan. This marks China’s 24th Women’s Doubles title out of 29 editions.

Meanwhile, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei created history by defeating China’s Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin in the mixed doubles.

BWF World Championships 2025: India's Performance

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were the only medal winners in the championship. They won the bronze medal in men’s doubles after losing to China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the semifinals. Earlier in the event, they assured India a medal by defeating Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (two-time Olympic medallists). This was their second World Championship medal after the 2022 bronze, extending India’s medal streak since 2011.

On the other hand, two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu lost to Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani in the quarter finals and failed to achieve her 6th championship medal. Sindhu remains India’s most successful shuttler, with 5 BWF World Championship medals, including India’s only gold in 2019 (Basel, Switzerland).

Also Read: 10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

BWF World Championships 2025: Meda Tally

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has made it to the quarter-finals of the BWF World Championships after she knocked out World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China in straight games in the women's singles round of 16 match on Thursday.

Also Read: India’s Next Badminton Superstar: The Rising Stars to Watch in 2025

PV Sindhu (WR: 15) wins against Wang Zhi Yi (WR: 2) in STRAIGHT GAMES! 😱

She will face Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani in the quarter-finals 💪

➡️ Read more: https://t.co/qaC42cLT79 pic.twitter.com/fUHmek1DlX

— ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) August 28, 2025

Sindhu dominates against World No. 2

Sindhu maintained her dominance against Wang Zhi Yi. She defeated Wang for the third time in the 5th head to head match. Sindhu was the underdog against Wang, who was coming off a title triumph at the China Open last month.

World No. 15 Sindhu won the first game by a margin of 21-19 after a tough fight. After winning the first game, Sindhu took a lead of 12-6 in the second game as well. She maintained this lead and won the match by winning the second game by a margin of 21-15. 

Sindhu continued her perfect run in the tournament

With this win, PV Sindhu continued her perfect run in the tournament. She has not dropped a single game in her three matches so far. The two-time Olympic medallist is now just one win away from securing her sixth World Championships medal.

For Sindhu, this victory also marks her first quarter-final appearance at the World Championships since her title-winning run six years ago. It also sends a strong message to rivals that the seasoned campaigner is far from done on the big stage.

Also Read: Puma ropes in PV Sindhu as brand ambassador

Sindhu to face Wardani in the quarters

Sindhu will now take on World No. 9 Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia in the last eight. Sindhu has faced her four times and won twice.

The 23-year-old Wardani has been in good form this year, having won 27 matches and lost only 12 games. Sindhu, on the other hand, has lost 12 games in 2025 and won just nine. Wardani’s best performances this year have been third-place finishes at the Thailand Masters and Swiss Open.

Instagram has transformed into a vibrant platform where athletes can engage with millions of fans and followers. Sharing with us their experiences, their joys and their achievements on Instagram, these are some athletes who we may not know properly, but definitely deserve to.

In this article, we will take a look at 10 unknown Indian athletes to follow on Instagram in 2025.

Also Read: Most Popular Indian Sports You Didn’t Know Existed

Unknown Indian Athletes to Follow on Instagram in 2025

10. Pooja Bishnoi (Runner)

• Followers - 1.3M
• Account - poojabishnoi36

Pooja Bishnoi, a 13-year-old prodigy set a new meet record in the 3,000m race at the 2024 U-19 IPSC Athletics Tournament. She’s already won gold medals in the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m, showing the world that she’s not just a fast runner, she’s a future Olympic star.  

Her hard work and strong will caught the eye of the Virat Kohli Foundation, which now supports her training, food, and travel.  

Pooja is also becoming popular on social media, inspiring young athletes across the country. 

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9. Simran Verma (Boxing)

• Followers - 232k
• Account - simran12verma

Simran Verma is a prolific boxer and athlete who competes in the 52 kg category. Simran has won a Bronze at the Sub-Junior National and Silver in the U-17 School Nationals. After being selected to join IIS, Simran took her game to the next level and won her first international Silver Medal at the Junior Nations’ Cup in Serbia in August 2019.

Simran continued to train and fight hard and she went on the become the National Champion in 2021. She also bagged the bronze medal in the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games. She aims to be a part of the Indian Olympic team.

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8. Akash Shinde (Kabaddi)

• Followers - 169k
• Account - akash_shinde_3

In the heart of Nashik's Adgaon village, a young boy named Akash Shinde dared to dream big. Little did he know that his journey from playing in the muddy grounds of his town to becoming a PKL winner would inspire a generation of aspiring athletes.

In the PKL Season 9, Akash truly announced his arrival, becoming a formidable force on the mat. In the 22 matches that Akash played on the way to his first PKL final, he scored 139 raid points, averaging 6.32 raid point per match.

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7. Aishwarya Mishra (Track and Field)

• Followers - 32.8k
• Account - mishra_aishwarya8856

Aishwarya Mishra, one of India's top quarter-milers, has left behind the controversy of 2022 and re-established herself with strong performances at the Asian level and the National Games. The Maharashtra athlete, who was once under scrutiny for missing a dope test, has proved her abilities on the track with multiple medals and record-breaking performances.

In 2022, Mishra won gold in the women's 400m event at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode with a time of 51.18 seconds, making her the third-fastest Indian quarter-miler. 

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6. Murali Sreeshankar (Long Jump)

• Followers - 73.1k
• Account - sreeshankarmurali

Murali Sreeshankar is an Indian athlete who competes in the long jump event. He created a national record of 8.36 metres set in 2022. He also grabbed silver medal in Asian Games 2023.

The 26 year old set to make a comeback from what many would have perceived a ‘career-ending’ injury. Murali has been out of competitions since before the Paris Olympics.

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Also Read: 10 Sports Podcasts Every Indian Fan Should Listen To

5. Niharika Vashisht (Triple Jump)

• Followers - 251k
• Account - niharika.vashhisht

Niharika Vashisht is a national gold medalist in the triple jump. Vashisht grabbed eyeballs of everyone by beating local favourite Sandra Babu in the women’s triple jump at the National Federation Senior Athletics Championship.

A social media influencer, Niharika has quite a following on the internet. She is making prudent use of the revenue she earns from social media account by funding her own training expenses.

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4. Pyari Xaxa (Football)

• Followers - 39k
• Account - xaxapyari

Having made her senior team debut in 2015, just after turning 18, the girl from Kuarmunda – a small town in Odisha – was one of the most promising youngsters when the Indian women clinched gold in the South Asian Games in 2016.

Pyari recently voted best Women's Indian Player of the Year.

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3. Avani Lekhara (Para-shooting)

• Followers - 138k
• Account - avani.lekhara

Para-shooter Avani Lekhara is the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in the Para Olympic history. She is also the second Indian after javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia to win two gold medals at the Games. 

Avani's journey did not stop at the Paralympics. She continued to shine in various international competitions, including the World Cups and Asian Para Games, where she consistently won medals and set new benchmarks. 

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2. Ayhika Mukherjee (Table Tennis)

• Followers - 18k
• Account - ayhika.m

An Arjuna Awardee, Ayhika Mukherjee from West Bengal has been representing India at the global stages since multiple years, having won many medals. She most recently won a historical Bronze Medal along with Sutirtha Mukherjee at the 2022 Asian Games, beating the Chinese World Champion duo in the Quarter Finals. 

Having already won multiple international medals, Ayhika’s career is on an upward graph as she continues to rise the ranks and improve her play.

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Also Read: Best Indian Sports Biopics of All Time

1. Sheetal Devi (Para-Archery)

• Followers - 607k
• Account - sheetal_archery

Teenaged Indian para-archer Sheetal Devi made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, clinching the bronze medal in the mixed compound archery team event alongside Rakesh Kumar. At just 17 years old, she became India’s youngest Paralympic medallist and only the second armless archer in history to win a Paralympic medal.

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Ayush Shetty won his maiden Super 300 title by winning the men's singles title at the BWF US Open 2025. Meanwhile, 16-year-old sensation Tnavi Sharma finished runner-up in women's singles.

Ayush defeated Canada's Brian Yang in straight games 21-13, 21-18 to lift the title. Shetty became the 5th Indian men's singles shuttler to win a Super 300+ title after Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Priyanshu Rajawat, and Sameer Verma.

After 8 years, India won a title at the US Open in any discipline since H.S. Prannoy won in 2017. 

However, it was not a perfect end for 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma as she faced a heartfelt defeat against home favourite and No. 1 seed Beiwen Zhang of the USA 11-21, 21-16, 21-10 in the finals. 

Tanvi, who is now the youngest player ever to reach the final of any Super 300 tournament, had won all the sets until the final. She had defeated WR23, WR58, WR50 & WR40 to reach the final. 

🚨𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 🏸

🇮🇳Ayush Shetty won his maiden BWF Super300 title, winning the US Open 2025.

He defeated 🇨🇦Brian Yang in straight games 21-13, 21-18!#USOpen #Badminton #BadmintonIndia pic.twitter.com/BPDdF8a8Kr

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) June 30, 2025

Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu has been eliminated from the Indonesia Open 2025 badminton tournament after losing in the round of 16. She was defeated badly by Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday.

Sindhu shows tremendous fight in first two games

PV Sindhu started the match brilliantly. She won the first game 22-20. She did not give any chance to the opponent to recover in this game. Pornpawee Chochuwong had no answer to Sindhu's aggressive returns as the score read 10-16 in favour in the first game. However, the tables turned completely in the second game.

Where Sindhu looked set to lose the first game, she pulled it right back in to clinch it, as the score read 22-20. After winning the first game, where Sindhu hoped to capitalise, Chochuwong was quick to turn it around, dominating Sindhu in the game, winning it by 21-10; furthermore, she went on to win the third game by 21-18, as Sindhu was eliminated from the Indonesia Open 2025 badminton tournament.

Satwik-Chirag enter quarterfinals

On the other hand, Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty came back from a game down to notch up a win to enter the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open 2025.

Satwik-Chirag beat Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Sogaard 16-21, 21-18, 22-20 in a match lasting one hour and eight minutes in the BWF Super 1000 tournament.

Treesa-Gayatri lost

The women’s doubles duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also lost 13-21, 22-24 to Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto of Japan in the round of 16 stage.

In mixed doubles, Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath exited after a straight-game loss against Thailand’s Dechapol Puavarankuroh and Supissara Paewsampran. The scoreline read 21-7, 21-12 in favour of the Thai shuttlers, who wrapped up the match in just 25 minutes.