What’s fuelling Hyderabad’s growing love for badminton?

P V Sindhu in action | Photo Credit: ANI Badminton lovers across Hyderabad erupted in joy when two-time Olympic champion PV Sindhu won her maiden Japan Open title, beating Akane Yamaguchi on July 19. The win has brought cheer to enthusiasts like Padma Shravya Agnihotri, who celebrated Sindhu’s win with an indoor badminton game with friends.When Shravya moved to Hyderabad for work, badminton was her natural choice for a hobby. Shravya is thrilled when her singles opponent does not pick her smash or drop shot. “After 10 hours of work, a racket shot gives me a high,” says the senior physical design engineer from Kondapur. She calls badminton the OG sport that helps her keep fit. “It also takes me back to my childhood days of playing in the neighbourhood with friends. These memories provide comfort in a new city.” Ready to serve | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement In 2023, when Shravya took membership at an indoor court near her PG hostel, it had easy call-in options to book a slot. Today, she has to plan a week or at least three days ahead on the Playo app to book her preferred time during weekends. As a host, she books a slot and invites people to choose from amateur, intermediate, advanced and professional options in the app to play a game. “Even strangers join. The badminton turf is a good way to make new friends,” she adds.Rise of arenas Padma Shravya Agnihotri hits a smash shot | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The rise of recreational sporting activities and experiences such as pickleball and paddleball, trampoline, table tennis and box cricket has helped integrate sports into the urban landscape. Badminton remains a favourite sport because of its lightweight equipment — two rackets and a shuttlecock — easy accessibility, and a game that gives its players the benefit of a full-body workout.It has also boosted the growth of badminton academies and turfs in colonies and gated communities in the city. The data is clear on why Kondapur can be called the badminton hub. While Hyderabad has nearly 200 indoor and outdoor badminton venues with each setting having two to eight courts, Kondapur alone has more than 15 turfs within a radius of five kilometres. This was not the case when RG Battledore academy was launched in Kondapur in 2019. “People who could not view our first branch from the road would often call us to get directions. We have now moved to another place in Kondapur but do not get calls asking for location anymore,” says RG Battledore Academy founder Ganga Reddy.The big venuesPullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, Sai Gopichand National Badminton Academy, One ALl Arena For Sports, Rivalz Sporting Club, Shuttler Stone Sports, Govardhan Badminton Academy and Sportsvilla. At one of the indoor turfs in Kondapur | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement From Pullela Gopichand, former All England Open badminton champion and founder of Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, to PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Jwala Gutta and Kidambi Srikanth, champions over the last two decades have fuelled badminton as a serious sport and a recreational trend.Young players pursuing the sport in academies to play professionally, students playing it as part of school physical education and those wanting to build a moderate-fitness activity, the love for badminton aka shuttlecock spans multiple generations. The story of badminton centres growing consistently began in 2021 after lockdown. “People forced to stay indoors were eager to rebuild their strength and endurance. Now, with more awareness on health and fitness, especially among those in sedentary jobs, the trend of playing a sport continues to grow,” says Ganga Reddy.For fitness Padma Shravya Agnihotri with her badminton friends | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement According to marketing professional Nikhil Yadav of Gamepoint Badminton Academy, digital solutions provide avenues for easy access. The academy that started in 2017 with one centre has 15 now, some in partnership with schools and others offering a variety of sports including basketball and pickleball. Their wooden and synthetic courts offer both professional training and recreational play. The academy’s growth — from a target of 1000-2000 bookings a month to having 10,000 bookings across branches — has scaled exponentially. “Badminton is preferred for its cardiovascular benefits and one burns a lot more calories depending on the intensity of the game,” says Nikhil, a former badminton player for Delhi. Love for badminton aka shuttlecock spans multiple generations | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement A few kilometres away in Kukkatpally, a gated community’s indoor hall transforms into a sporting zone. Arjuna Rao Mallipudi of Sporting Edge takes three/five sessions per week for around 100 children. “Badminton is an evergreen game that can also be played indoors through the year,” says Arjuna, who has been a badminton coach for a decade. He believes Olympic champions like PV Sindhu have inspired parents to introduce this sport to their children. “In cities with a space crunch, building academies with more than eight courts needs a large site. Whereas in gated communities, having an indoor setting with just two courts to play is easy.” Published - July 27, 2026 01:08 pm IST