Everyone today talks about India’s dominance in doubles badminton, but there was a time when Indian badminton was all about singles. Doubles was just an afterthought, something Indian players weren’t expected to shine in. And then came a boy from Mumbai, who picked up a racket and decided to change the narrative. His name? Chirag Shetty.
Back in the day, if you were an Indian badminton player, you were expected to focus on singles. That’s where all the legends were made. But Chirag saw the game differently. He wasn’t just about individual brilliance; he believed in the power of partnership. And when he teamed up with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Indian badminton found a duo that would take the world by storm.
Their journey wasn’t easy. Doubles badminton demanded a different level of coordination, power, and reflexes. And for a long time, India simply wasn’t considered a force in this category. But Chirag and Satwik weren’t here to follow history. They were here to rewrite it.
2018,The Commonwealth Games,India had never won a gold medal in men’s doubles badminton. Chirag and Satwik had a chance to change that. The pressure was high, the expectations even higher. But they thrived in moments like these. They fought, they attacked, they defended like warriors, and when the final point was won, history was made.
But their biggest moment? 2022. The Thomas Cup. Indian badminton’s World Cup. A tournament that India had never won in its 73-year history. The best nations—Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Denmark—had dominated this event for decades. But this was a new India. A fearless India.
Chirag and Satwik stepped onto the court, knowing their doubles matches would be crucial. And every single time, they delivered. They crushed higher-ranked opponents, played with an intensity that left the world stunned. When India defeated Indonesia in the final to lift the Thomas Cup for the first time, it wasn’t just a victory. It was a revolution.
And just when people thought they had seen the peak, Chirag and Satwik climbed even higher. They became the first Indian men’s doubles pair to win an Asian Games gold in 2023, defeating the world’s best pairs with sheer power and precision. The world finally knew—India wasn’t just a singles powerhouse anymore.
Today, when you see Chirag Shetty on the court, you see something special. A player who never backs down. A fighter who plays with heart. A champion who changed the way India looked at doubles badminton.
He didn’t just win matches. He won respect. He didn’t just play the game. He redefined it. That’s Chirag Shetty for you—India’s doubles badminton revolution, in the flesh.