Badminton is considered the second most popular sport worldwide. This is because it is the second most played sport following soccer, with approximately 220 million people that play it each year.
Badminton was first played in Poona in the 1870s by British soldiers that were stationed in India. They would play in their free time as they would look for things to do with their free time. Soldiers returning from India took the game back to England and soon enough, it caught the attention of the erstwhile Duke of Beaufort. In 1873, the Duke introduced the game to his guests at a lawn-party held at his estate in Gloucestershire.
The Duke called it ‘the Badminton game’ after the name of his estate – the Badminton House. The name stuck, and thus sport
became badminton.
The Duke called it ‘the Badminton game’ after the name of his estate – the Badminton House. The name stuck, and thus sport became badminton. The first rules for the sport were made in England. Since that day, the sport grew in popularity, with more people wanting to join in on playing it. The first all-England championships for men were held in 1899.
In 1900, the first tournament for women was held as well. From then on, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) was founded in 1934, and they held their first championships in 1977. While there were other tournaments that were held over the years such as the Thomas Cup for men and the Uber Cup for women, the BWF championships were what professional players would look forward to. Eventually, badminton became an Olympic sport.
In 1972 it was a demonstration sport. 1988, it became an exhibition sport, and finally, in 1992, the first full-medal games were played. Badminton medals were given out for five categories, those being Men's singles, Men's doubles, Women's Singles, Women's doubles, and mixed doubles. When the first broadcast of badminton went live at the Olympics, over 1.1 billion people tuned in to watch over the television, and since then, badminton has remained a popular Olympic sport. This is a game called "Ti Zian Ji” in China. Badminton is a versatile sport that anyone can play and has grown in overall popularity over the years, as many realize the potential of the sport.
IN INDIA
The history of badminton in India dates back to the British colonial period when the game was introduced to the subcontinent. It was mostly played at wealthy clubs and British military installations, where British expatriates living in India used it as a pastime. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) was established in 1899, six years after the Badminton Association of England (BAE). It is one of the oldest badminton governing bodies in the world.
Saina Nehwal is the first female player from India to achieve the world no. 1 spot, which she did in April 2015, and the first Indian badminton player to win a medal at the Olympic Games. [2][3]
P. V. Sindhu is the first Indian to become the badminton World Champion, which she achieved in 2019, and the only badminton player from India to win two consecutive medals at the Olympic Games. [4][5] Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand both won the All England Open in 1980 and 2001 respectively, making them the only Indians to win the prestigious title.
In 2022, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won India's first World Championship medal in the men's doubles, a bronze. Till date, India has never returned empty handed from the World Championships since 2011. At the BWF World Junior Championships, Saina Nehwal is the only gold medalist for India, which she achieved in 2008 at the age of 17. At the Badminton Asia Junior Championships, P. V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen are the only gold medalists for India, winning in their respective categories in 2012 and 2018 respectively.
