Para Badminton in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Olympics.com — Paris 2024 Paralympics para badminton coverage, Paralympic Committee of India, ESPN — India Paralympic medal list, BWF Para Badminton).

Overview

Governing body: Paralympic Committee of India
Origin: Paralympic debut, Tokyo 2020
Olympic discipline: Yes
Category: Para
Total players listed: …

Para Badminton is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The Paralympic Committee of India oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Para Badminton is a recognised Olympic discipline, which shapes the entire high-performance pipeline in India. Athletes who break into the senior national camp become eligible for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which funds international training stints, foreign coaches, sports science support, equipment and travel for ranking events. Below the senior tier, the Khelo India Youth Games, University Games and Winter Games act as the country's largest scouting net, feeding talent into the Khelo India Talent Development scheme where annual stipends, boarding and dedicated coaching are provided at SAI National Centres of Excellence and accredited academies. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports tracks every selected athlete's progress against published benchmarks, and underperformance can mean a drop from the scheme — the pathway is rigorous by design.

In India, Para Badminton is administered by the Paralympic Committee of India, which sets the competition calendar, selection norms and coaching curriculum for the discipline.

At the grassroots, the route into Para Badminton typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Para Badminton originated in Paralympic debut, Tokyo 2020, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Para Badminton, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the Paralympic Committee of India, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Para Badminton is played and developed across India under the Paralympic Committee of India, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How para badminton evolved globally and took root in India.

Para Badminton traces its modern origins to Paralympic debut, Tokyo 2020. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and Paralympic Committee of India is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, para badminton grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under Paralympic Committee of India, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Para Badminton being on the Olympic programme reshaped its Indian pathway: Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) selection, Khelo India Talent Development stipends and international training stints became the norm for the country's leading athletes.

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for para badminton athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Development Scheme (KISCE)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for identified para badminton talent (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports).
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for medal-prospect para badminton athletes; administered by the Mission Olympic Cell.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite para badminton athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired para badminton internationals — Government of India.

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Indian Players

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Rules

Played on a standard badminton court with the playing area varying by class. There are six Paralympic classes: WH1 and WH2 for wheelchair athletes, SL3 and SL4 for standing athletes with lower limb impairment, SU5 for standing athletes with upper limb impairment, and SH6 for athletes of short stature. WH1, WH2 and SL3 events use only half the court width; SL4, SU5 and SH6 use the full court. Matches are the best of three games to 21 points under rally scoring, win by two, capped at 30. Wheelchair players must remain seated throughout the stroke — lifting off the seat is a fault.

Authoritative rulebook: Paralympic Committee of India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a para badminton squad or competition.

Competitor
Athlete who takes part in the para badminton event under Paralympic Committee of India rules.
Coach
Federation-certified coach responsible for training and match-day decisions.
Match official
Referee, umpire or judge who officiates the event.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in para badminton at a federation-recognised event.

Badminton racket
Shuttlecock (feather or synthetic)
Sport wheelchair for WH1 and WH2 classes
Prosthesis permitted in standing classes
Non-marking court shoes

Governing body

National federation

Paralympic Committee of India

Paralympic Committee of India is the recognised national body for Para Badminton in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for para badminton. State associations under Paralympic Committee of India run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: Paralympic debut, Tokyo 2020
Olympic: Yes
Category: Para

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Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the para badminton calendar in India.

National Para Badminton Championships
Run under the Paralympic Committee of India with Badminton Association of India support, contested across the six Paralympic classes — SL3 and SL4 for standing players with lower limb impairment, SU5 for upper limb impairment, SH6 for short stature, and WH1 and WH2 for wheelchair athletes.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in para badminton.

Paralympic Games
Para badminton made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where India won two golds through Pramod Bhagat (SL3) and Krishna Nagar (SH6), plus a Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj silver and Manoj Sarkar bronze. At Paris 2024 India took five medals — Nitesh Kumar gold in men's singles SL3, silvers for Suhas Yathiraj (SL4) and Thulasimathi Murugesan (SU5), and bronzes for Manisha Ramadass (SU5) and Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan (SH6). Tokyo champion Pramod Bhagat missed Paris while serving an 18-month suspension for anti-doping whereabouts failures.
BWF Para Badminton World Championships
India is consistently among the leading nations, and the depth shown at Paris — medals across four different classes — reflects a broad rather than single-athlete programme.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for para badminton. The national championship under Paralympic Committee of India remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised para badminton athletes to know outside India.

The international federation for para badminton maintains the current world ranking — check the federation site for the up-to-date top names.

Records

Where to find India's official para badminton record book.

Olympic medalsTracked
Individual and team Olympic medals for India in para badminton are logged on the official IOC and IOA archives.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in para badminton are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the Paralympic Committee of India.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in para badminton are maintained by the Paralympic Committee of India.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for para badminton and mirrored by Paralympic Committee of India.
National record holdersFederation register
Paralympic Committee of India publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in para badminton — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Para badminton is India's second most successful Paralympic sport after para athletics, and unusually its medals come from many athletes across several classification classes rather than one or two stars
Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, a two-time Paralympic silver medallist, is a serving IAS officer who has competed while holding District Magistrate postings — a demonstration that the sport's elite pathway can run alongside a full professional career
Classification is the gateway: athletes must be assessed into SL3, SL4, SU5, SH6, WH1 or WH2 before entering sanctioned competition, and the class determines court size and service rules
Pathway runs through PCI state units and national championships into TOPS support and the BWF international circuit

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for para badminton athletes and academies.

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FAQs

Common questions about para badminton in India.

Who governs Para Badminton in India?▾

Paralympic Committee of India is the recognised national federation for Para Badminton in India. State associations under Paralympic Committee of India run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Para Badminton an Olympic sport?▾

Yes, Para Badminton is on the Olympic programme. Selection for India runs through Paralympic Committee of India and the international federation's ranking events, and top athletes are typically funded through TOPS.

How do I start playing Para Badminton in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Para Badminton athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Para Badminton?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Para Badminton athletes selected for international events?▾

Paralympic Committee of India runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Para Badminton in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Para Badminton in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Para Badminton