Hyderabad’s Sathish Kumar Karunakaran clinches KBA International Challenge title

Hyderabad shuttler Sathish Kumar Karunakaran won the KBA Badminton International Challenge in Bengaluru on Sunday, defeating statemate Gnana Dattu in the final. The 25-year-old TOPS athlete has represented India at the World Junior Championships and international tournaments

Hyderabad: Sathish Kumar Karunakaran of A Zone Sports, one of Hyderabad’s biggest badminton academies, won the KBA Badminton International Challenge held in Bengaluru on Sunday.

In the final, 25-year-old Sathish, who trains under Indonesian coaches Fizal and Hendra at A Zone Sports, defeated his statemate Gnana Dattu.

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Sathish, who was included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the 2028 Games, once held a world ranking of 50 in men’s singles and 34 in mixed doubles. He also represented India at the World Junior Championships, besides competing in several international tournaments.