Who is Satwiksairaj Rankireddy? All you need to know about the Indian badminton star competing at Paris Olympics 2024
One-half of India's beloved Sat-Chi, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, is set to compete alongside Chirag Shetty in the badminton men's doubles category at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, now ranked third in the world, created history by becoming the first Indian duo to claim the No. 1 rank in the doubles category.
Securing a berth for the Paris 2024 Olympics with their consistent top finishes at the BWF competitions, the young duo now shoulder the hopes of an entire nation for a historic medal.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's career in brief
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's initial training under his father's guidance paved the way for his early successes. Competing at the district level, he secured his first title in the under-13 category. Teaming up with Krishna Prasad Garaga, he claimed his first national doubles title at the Sub-Junior Nationals Badminton in the U17 category.
His decision to specialize in doubles led him to the prestigious Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad in 2014, where his talents were honed for the international stage.
In 2016, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy won the senior national doubles title with Chirag Shetty. His prowess was further showcased when he clinched the mixed doubles title alongside Kukkapalli Maneesha at the 81st Senior National Badminton Championships in Patna, Bihar.
Satwik made his international debut at just 15 years old in 2015. His senior debut came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he and Chirag Shetty secured gold in the mixed doubles event. Their partnership continued to flourish, leading them to another gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In 2022, Satwik and Chirag made history by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships, becoming the first Indian men's doubles pair to achieve this feat. Their success extended to the Asian Games, where they won gold in the men's doubles and silver in the team event in Hangzhou.
Alongside Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy became the first Indian doubles pair to win the Super 500 series title in 2021. His exceptional performance earned him the Arjuna Award in 2020 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2024.
Satwiksairaj has been dealing with a recurring shoulder injury that has impacted his performance. The year 2024 started on a high note for the duo as they clinched the French Open title and finished as runners-up at both the Malaysia Open and India Open.
However, their performance has been inconsistent since then. They faced early exits at the All England and Singapore Open and were forced to withdraw from defending their title at the Indonesia Open due to Satwik's injury.
Despite their recent setback, Satwik and Chirag remain a formidable duo and among India's best bets for a gold medal other than Neeraj Chopra.