Sixteen-year-old Tanvi Sharma (right) etched her name into Indian badminton history on Oct 19 by clinching a silver medal at the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati.
While her final match ended in a 15-7, 15-12 loss to Thailand’s second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak, the spirited teenager from Punjab showed immense promise and poise — offering hope for the future of Indian women’s singles, reported the Press Trust of India.
Tanvi joins the elite ranks of Saina Nehwal and Aparna Popat as only the third Indian woman to reach the final of this prestigious global junior tournament.
With this achievement, she becomes the first Indian girl since Nehwal’s gold in 2008 to win a medal at the event.
“I was very happy with the silver medal, but a little disappointed that I couldn’t win the gold,” Tanvi admitted after the match.
Her disappointment, however, was tempered with perspective. “To get to the next level, I know I need to work on endurance, net play, and mental resilience.”
Tanvi’s journey began in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, under the guidance of her mother and first coach, Meena Sharma.
After stints at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad and now the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati under Olympic medal-winning coach Park Tae-sang, she has risen to World No. 1 in the junior rankings and even reached the senior US Open Super 300 final earlier this year.
Despite illness and inconsistent form leading up to the tournament, Tanvi surprised herself with this medal.
Her lock screen idol, Taiwanese star, Tai Tzu Ying might still be a distant benchmark, but with her shot-making flair and self-awareness, Tanvi is already attracting global attention – including a mention from Chinese legend Chen Long.
As she prepares to transition to senior competition, Tanvi knows the road ahead will demand physical and mental upgrades.
But with a strong support system, international exposure, and raw hunger, India’s newest badminton sensation looks ready to take flight.
