Tanvi Patri and Shaina Manimuthu Lead India’s World Junior Squad

Asian U17 champion Tanvi Patri, continental silver medallist Shaina Manimuthu and India Junior International Grand Prix winner Dev Ruparelia will lead India’s 18-member squad at the BWF World Junior Championships 2026 in Cairo, Egypt. India will aim to build on the team bronze and individual silver it secured at last year’s edition in Guwahati.

The Indian contingent was selected after trials at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati from September 18 to 21. The process was conducted in line with guidelines set by the Badminton Association of India’s Junior Selection Committee.

The championships will begin with the Suhandinata Cup team event from October 5 to 10, followed by the individual Eye Level Cups from October 11 to 17. India enters the team competition as the fifth seed and as bronze medallist from the previous edition.

India’s Suhandinata Cup route in Cairo

India has been placed in Group D1 alongside Peru and Brazil for the Suhandinata Cup. The team must finish on top of that group to remain in contention for the quarterfinals.

After topping Group D1, India would need to win a playoff tie against the winner of Group D2 to reach the last eight. Group D2 includes ninth seeds Indonesia, Macau China and Senegal, making the group phase and subsequent playoff significant steps in India’s pursuit of another podium finish.

The 2026 edition will also be played under revised formats following a BWF Council decision. The Suhandinata Cup team competition will use the new 3×55 relay scoring system. The individual events at the Eye Level Cups will be contested under a 3×15 scoring system.

Patri, Manimuthu and Ruparelia among key selections

India’s girls’ singles lineup features Patri and Manimuthu alongside Parul Choudhary and Tanvi Reddy Andluri. Patri arrives as the newly crowned Asian U17 champion, while Manimuthu has won a continental silver medal.

Ruparelia leads the boys’ singles group after winning the India Junior International Grand Prix. He is joined by Nishchal Chand, Jagsher Singh Khangurra and Akhil Reddy Bobba.

The boys’ doubles pairs are Aathish Sreenivas P.V. and Yogansh Singh, plus Pavan Suresh and Punith Suresh. In girls’ doubles, Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera are selected alongside Diya Bheemaiah B. and Baruni Parshwal. Bisht and Punera were part of the Indian squad that won the country’s historic team medal last year.

The mixed doubles lineup consists of Divyansh Agrawal and Varna Prabhuanand, as well as Yogansh Singh and Aanya Bisht. Yogansh and Bisht will therefore have roles across more than one discipline in the squad.

Preparation camp before the world championships

The selected players will attend a dedicated World Junior Camp at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati from September 25 to October 2 before departing for the championships. The camp provides the final preparation period ahead of the team event in Cairo.

BAI General Secretary Sanjay Mishra said India had a strong chance of another impressive showing, pointing to the junior team’s momentum from the U17 Asian Championships, where India reached the final. He added that the federation waited for medal-winning players to return before completing the trials so that all eligible players had a fair opportunity.

With a fifth seeding in the Suhandinata Cup, a recent team bronze to build upon and a squad featuring leading performers from the junior circuit, India will begin its campaign in Cairo with both team and individual events on the schedule.