Vimal Kumar

Dronacharya Awardee....Former International Badminton Player, Former National Chief Coach, Director - Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

We can all be immensely proud of 15-year-old Tanvi Patri! 🇮🇳

What an incredible final at the Youth Olympic Games! Tanvi pushed the Chinese Junior World Champion all the way in a thrilling three-game contest. The Under-17 Asian Champion came agonisingly close to victory, and the missed sitter at match point was particularly unfortunate. But what stood out was Tanvi’s fighting spirit, determination and belief. Both girls displayed tremendous character and sportsmanship.

I vividly remember speaking to Tanvi after her return from the World Junior Championships in Cairo, just three weeks ago, where she had lost to the same Chinese girl. When I asked her about it, she confidently told me she believed she could beat her. Today’s performance was a wonderful reflection of that determination and self-belief.

The result may not have gone her way, with the Chinese girl winning 15-21, 21-13, 26-24, but Tanvi has won many hearts. At just 15, she has demonstrated the temperament, fighting spirit and potential to go a long way. She has made us all incredibly proud!

Equally encouraging was Riyan Malhan’s impressive victory, representing the UAE, over France’s Mady Sow in the boys’ final. Riyan had earlier beaten the Chinese Junior World Champion in the semifinals.

Two wonderful performances and a very encouraging sign for the future of badminton. The future looks bright! 👏🏸

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

A little background on Tanvi Patri for those unfamiliar with her journey.

Tanvi joined our Academy in 2021 at the age of 10, following a trial after her family returned from China during the Covid period. We identified potential in her and inducted her into our programme.

She has a good temperament, a strong competitive spirit and has consistently performed well in national age-group tournaments. Winning the Asian U15 and U17 titles is encouraging, and she is now progressing into the International Series and Challenge circuit. Her physical development remains an important area of focus.

There has been considerable social media attention around her brief stay in China at the age of nine. While interesting, her progress must be viewed in the context of years of structured training, coaching and personal commitment.

Having worked with young players for decades, I believe we must be careful about comparing emerging talents with champions like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu too early. Talent and early success are important, but long-term success in individual sports demands physical development, competitive maturity, resilience and the ability to handle pressure.

International tennis has several examples, including Emma Raducanu, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka, reminding us how challenging it is to sustain success at the highest level.

Another promising Indian talent is Tanvi Sharma, who is a couple of years older than Patri.

I am closely monitoring Patri’s progress and am encouraged by the work being done by our coaching team. I only wish the systematic training process and the contribution of coaches received as much recognition as individual achievements.

The priority must be to nurture talent, manage expectations and allow young players the time and environment to develop. The real measure of success is what they achieve over the years, not the attention they receive today.

Vimal Kumar
Co-founder & Director
Centre for Badminton Excellence (Formerly PPBA)

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

@AmazonHelp @amazonIN

Extremely disappointing experience with Amazon.

I ordered a pack of 6 Gillette Fusion blades (Order ID: 404745312-9951505) on 30th October and paid ₹1,653 through Google Pay. The delivery was confirmed within 12 minutes of placing the order. However, the product was never delivered, despite Amazon marking it as delivered.

After raising a complaint, I was assured that the issue would be resolved by 1st November. Nothing happened. After considerable difficulty connecting with customer service and spending 15 minutes exchanging messages, I was once again told that the order had been delivered.

When I asked for proof of delivery, I was told it could not be shared due to security reasons!

How can Amazon mark an item as delivered when the customer has not received it, and then refuse to provide proof of delivery? This raises serious concerns about delivery accountability and customer service.

Is this how Amazon treats its customers?

I expect an immediate resolution — either deliver the product or issue a full refund of ₹1,653.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Well done, Lakshya! 👏❤️ Many congratulations!

So happy to see both the Men’s and Women’s Singles titles won by Indians. 🇮🇳🏸

Lakshya really needed this title this year. So glad he’s got it! Hope this gives him the confidence and belief to go from strength to strength.

Well done, Lakshya and the entire team! Truly happy for you all. Keep making India proud! 🇮🇳

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Well done, Sindhu! ❤️🏸 Many, many congratulations on this wonderful win!

I’m sure this victory puts you in a great position to secure your berth in the year-end finals in December. After four tournaments on the trot, you truly deserve a good break. Take some time to rest, recharge and come back fresh for the big finale of the season.

Take good care of yourself. Well done to you and the entire team.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

A great result for Indian Men Team in the quarterfinal over Japan at the Asian Games.They were brilliant winning the tie 3-0!

This brings back some very special memories of Seoul 1986. 🇮🇳🏸

Our Indian men’s team—Prakash Padukone, Syed Modi, Uday Pawar, Ravi Kunte, Leroy D’Sa, Sanat Misra and myself—had a memorable win over Japan.

Prakash and I won our singles, while Prakash & Uday won the doubles.

We eventually won bronze, after losing to China in the semifinal.

Nearly 40 years on, the memories of representing India, the camaraderie and the pride remain unforgettable.

Some memories never fade. ❤️🇮🇳@BAI_Media @Media_SAI @IndiaSports

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

What a World Championship! 🔥🏸

Alex Lanier has become the 🇫🇷 first Frenchman to win the Men’s Singles World title — and what a way to do it!

At just 21, along with Alwi Farhan 🇮🇩 and our own Ayush Shetty 🇮🇳, he represents an exciting new generation. Canada’s 21-year-old Victor Lai, with his second World Championship bronze, adds to the picture.

Lanier’s fitness, attacking game, hard hitting and exceptional net play were outstanding. To win in these difficult IG Stadium conditions against Kunlavut, Victor Lai and then completely dismantle the defensive brilliance of Kodai Naraoka was a remarkable achievement.

France also won Mixed Doubles, underlining their emergence as a major badminton nation.

China’s dominance, meanwhile, appears to be waning. No Men’s Singles player in the quarterfinals and potentially no World title at this Championship — something almost unthinkable a few years ago.

For India 🇮🇳, there were highs and heartbreaks. Sindhu looked close to her best despite her narrow loss to Wang Yidi. Unnati Hooda had two match points against Michelle Li. Ayush produced one of the biggest upsets of the Championship by beating World No.1 Shi Yuqi, before losing to Alwi Farhan.

Lakshya had a disappointing early exit, while Satwik-Chirag lost in the quarters. Treesa & Gayatri, however, ensured India continued its remarkable record of medalling at every World Championship since 2014. 🥉

With the China Masters and Asian Games coming up, the sport is entering an interesting phase.

And next year brings another major change — the new scoring system.

It will be fascinating to see how badminton evolves. I believe the new format could make the game less physically demanding and significantly change the tactical and physical demands on players.

A new generation. A changing world order. A new scoring system.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

@airindia First I was ably assisted by a young attendant while checking in. I specifically would like to name her Kupgam(10042805). The Aircraft too was good and so were the seats. The flight attendants were great and it was on time. I was also impressed with the way the passengers were handled while boarding and the discipline maintained was great. This is an important aspect we neglect in India and mostly because of our passengers attitude and hurry.Overall a good experience. I have been traveling extensively from 1979 and those days it was 747 Aircraft while flying internationally.Hope Air India revives and set standards going forward.We owe this to TATA’s.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Congratulations to Tanvi Sharma on a magnificent victory at the Yonex Taipei Open Super 300! 🏆🇮🇳

Tanvi becomes the third Indian women’s singles player this year to win a BWF World Tour title (Super 300 and above)—a remarkable achievement that reflects the exciting depth emerging in Indian women’s badminton. (Olympics⁠)

The biggest step in a player’s journey is winning a major international title. It brings belief, confidence, and the conviction that you belong among the very best.

What has impressed me most is Tanvi’s evolution as a player. She has developed a much more potent smash to finish rallies while retaining the wristy, deceptive stroke-making that has long been a hallmark of Indian badminton. It’s a reminder that skill, touch and deception remain just as important as speed and power.

With talented youngsters like Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Unnati Hooda, Isha Rani Baruah and others coming through, the future of Indian women’s badminton looks exceptionally bright. Hopefully, they will soon join PV Sindhu in consistently challenging for the biggest titles on the world stage.

Congratulations to Tanvi, her coaches, family, and everyone who has contributed to her journey.

@BAIOfficial @Media_SAI 🇮🇳🏸 #TaipeiOpen #Badminton #BWFWorldTour

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Unbelievable—Ayush too suffered a heartbreaking defeat after holding three match points in the deciding game, just as Sindhu did.

The turning point came when he couldn’t convert the first match point. From then on, Nguyen raised the intensity, attacking relentlessly with fast, steep downward shots. He knew Ayush would be hesitant to lift deep because of the drift, fearing the shuttle would carry long.

It was a smart tactical move, and it paid off. Interestingly, Nguyen employed the very same strategy yesterday against Li Shi Feng of China.
A painful loss for Ayush, but also a valuable learning experience. I’m confident he’ll come back stronger.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

What a match between PV Sindhu and Chen Yufei—badminton at its very best.

After the heartbreaking second game, Sindhu showed immense courage and composure in the decider, despite finishing from the tougher end. A little more luck in the second and the outcome could easily have been different.

Full credit to Chen Yufei for her incredible consistency and quality under pressure. This was attacking and defensive badminton at the highest level.

Matches like these are exactly why the traditional 21-point scoring system is so special. We may not see many classics like this once the new scoring system comes into effect next year.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Well done, @Pvsindhu1! 👏 This title was long overdue and is a richly deserved reward for your perseverance, resilience, and belief.

A perfect confidence booster ahead of the BWF World Championships in Delhi next month. It’s wonderful to see Sindhu back in the world’s Top 8, which should earn her a crucial seeding—a significant advantage at the biggest event of the year.

It was always a matter of getting the tactics right, playing with patience and discipline, and cutting down on unforced errors. Today’s performance reflected exactly that.

Delighted for the entire coaching and support team as well. They have continued to believe, work hard, and this success is a well-deserved reward for their efforts.

Wishing Sindhu and Team India the very best for the World Championships. The momentum has begun—keep it going! 🇮🇳🏸

@Pvsindhu1 @BAI_Media @Media_SAI @CBE_Badminton

#PVSindhu #Badminton #BWFWorldChampionships #TeamIndia

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

BWF needs to take a hard look at the synthetic shuttlecocks currently being trialled in international tournaments. The feedback from many players has been far from encouraging.

For players who have grown up with feather shuttlecocks, the difference is significant. The flight, feel and overall response are simply not comparable to traditional feather shuttles.

Many strokes and skills developed over years of training with feather shuttlecocks become difficult to execute. This fundamentally changes the nature of the game and places players at a disadvantage.

Durability is another concern. In the ongoing trials, some synthetic shuttlecocks appear to deform or lose their shape after a few hard hits, raising serious questions about their reliability in elite competition.

The cost argument is also questionable. These shuttlecocks are priced close to good-quality feather shuttlecocks, so the expected financial advantage is not immediately evident.

Player safety must not be overlooked. The synthetic skirt material can be extremely sharp and has the potential to cause serious injuries to the face or eyes.

Who is driving this change—the equipment manufacturers or the BWF administration? Any decision that fundamentally alters how badminton is played must put players first. I sincerely hope our beloved sport is not compromised by commercial interests at the expense of performance, safety and the essence of badminton.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Brilliant effort by Satwik & Chirag 🇮🇳 A well-deserved title and a reminder of how dominant they were before Paris 2024. Their semifinal win over the world champion Korean pair was simply outstanding.

On current form, they must be among the favourites for the World Championships in New Delhi this August.

Well done Tan and Team India! 👏

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

The Popov brothers are among the few top singles players who also compete in doubles at a high level on the world stage. That in itself is commendable.

However, badminton is very different from tennis. In tennis, two strong singles players can often come together and challenge or even beat established doubles pairs. In badminton, the skill sets for singles and doubles are quite distinct, and top-level doubles requires specialized training, coordination, and instinct built over time.

The Popov brothers are undoubtedly talented, but competing against well-established doubles combinations is always a tough challenge. Also, after playing physically demanding singles matches, it becomes even more difficult to switch to the faster, more intense demands of doubles.

That said, their versatility and willingness to compete across formats is impressive, and it adds great value to their team.

Hope this gives a helpful perspective.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

France’s tie was effectively over once they lost the first singles.

Top quality match—Shi Yuqi showed why he’s among the most complete players in the world. Tough to read, great variation, and deadly at key moments.

Christo Popov pushed him hard—led 16–14 in the decider—but Shi raised the pace and closed it out in style.

Key point: France stacked 3 singles first, using the Popov brothers who play both singles & doubles. Smart tactic—often misunderstood.

Bottom line: teams like India, Japan, Indonesia had stronger doubles on paper, but couldn’t win that one crucial singles.

China did. That’s the difference.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

France completely overwhelmed India today, and Lakshya’s absence was certainly felt at crucial moments. That said, this result also highlights just how much France has grown as a badminton nation—they’re progressing rapidly and competing with real authority at the highest level.

Looking ahead, they will carry strong belief into the final, especially if it’s against China. With the form they’re in, they have every chance of making it a closely fought contest.

Christo Popov continues to be a standout performer. Winning the year-end Finals last season and delivering such dominant performances—like his exceptional display against Indonesia, where he convincingly beat Jonatan Christie—shows the level of confidence and quality he’s bringing to the court.

For India, this is a moment to regroup and come back stronger. The potential in this team is unquestionable.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

India faces a tough semifinal against France 🇫🇷—a true 50-50 tie.

With Christo Popov, Alex Lanier & Toma Popov, France has serious singles depth. All 3 matches look evenly poised, though India may have a slight edge in doubles.

Lakshya, Ayush & Kiran know what to expect—having trained with the Popovs in the lead-up to Paris. Familiarity won’t be an issue.

Key: India needs 2 singles wins. If Lakshya & Ayush fire, it sets up the tie. If it’s 3 singles first, experience of Prannoy/Srikanth becomes crucial.

France outplayed Japan 3-0 in singles—never allowing doubles into the contest. Line-up order will be decisive.

Denmark (without Viktor Axelsen) vs China in the other SF—Antonsen in top form.

Only concern: scheduling. QF, SF & Final on consecutive days is demanding and not ideal for player recovery.

Big match ahead. Time to step up 🇮🇳

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

India’s 3–0 win over a strong Chinese Taipei side is more than just a result—it’s a statement.

Lakshya Sen and the dependable pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty set the tone with authority. But special mention to 20 years old Ayush Shetty—a truly outstanding performance.

Against a reigning All England champion and one of the most attacking players on the circuit, Ayush combined composure with intent, blending attack and defence beautifully to keep his opponent under constant pressure.

A win to be proud of, and more importantly, one that strengthens belief for the challenges ahead.

[Vimal Kumar @vimalkumar_u]

Shock. Disbelief. A seismic moment for our sport.

For the first time in the history of the Thomas Cup, Indonesia — the very heartbeat of world badminton — has failed to reach the quarterfinals.

This isn’t just an upset. This is like Brazil national football team or Argentina national football team crashing out before the knockout stages of the World Cup.

Unthinkable. Until now.