India Junior International Series 2026 underway in Hyderabad

Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched the India Junior International Series 2026, a BWF-sanctioned tournament being held at the Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad. More than 225 junior players from India and seven other countries are participating.

Hyderabad: Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) announced the launch of India Junior International Series 2026, a Badminton World Federation (BWF)-sanctioned junior tournament.

This tournament is being hosted at the Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy till August 23.

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The tournament forms part of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s long-term commitment to nurturing sporting talent in India.

Through its partnership with the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation, Kotak has supported the establishment of the Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, a world-class institution focused on identifying and developing young badminton talent through expert coaching, high-performance infrastructure and competitive exposure.

Through sustained investments in sports infrastructure, athlete development and competitive opportunities, Kotak aims to support promising athletes, strengthen India’s badminton ecosystem and advance its broader CSR vision of fostering inclusive growth and nation-building through sport.

Himanshu Nivsarkar – Head, CSR & ESG, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said, “The Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy has played an important role in nurturing young badminton talent over the years. We are proud to support initiatives that help aspiring athletes learn, grow and realise their potential. The India Junior International Series gives young players an opportunity to compete at an international level and gain valuable experience early in their sporting journey.”

Pullela Gopichand, chief national coach of the Indian badminton team and Founder, Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation, said, “International competition at the junior level plays an important role in an athlete’s development. It allows young players to test their skills against different playing styles, build confidence and understand the demands of competing at a higher level.

This year’s tournament will bring together over 225 junior players from England, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, USA, UAE and India, competing across singles and doubles categories.