LUCKNOW, Nov. 28 -- India's women's singles badminton is transitioning from the Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu era to a promising generation of depth and talent. With seven players in the BWF top 50 as of mid-2025, including Sindhu at No 13 and Malvika Bansod at No 42, the focus shifts to teenagers challenging veterans.

Youngsters like Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma lead this surge, blending aggression, resilience, and consistent upsets against top seeds. Unnati, 18, from Haryana exemplifies the new guard's boldness. She stunned PV Sindhu at the 2025 China Open, reaching the quarterfinals after also defeating former top-30 player Kirsty Gilmour, before falling to Akane Yamaguchi.

At the Hylo Open 2025, Hooda advanced to the semi-finals, losi...