3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Oct 15, 2026 07:22 PM ISTJagsher Singh Khangurra confirms a medal for India at the Badminton World Junior Championships as he defeated 14th seed Yuan- Syue Jhuang of Chinese Taipei 6-15, 17-15, 15-12. (BAI)Punjab youngster Jangsher Singh Khangurra confirmed a medal for India and himself as he defeated Taiwanese Yuan Syue Jhuang, with a stunning 6-15, 17-15, 15-12 comeback in the quarterfinals of the Badminton World Juniors.Jhuang was 13-11 and two points away from a win when the Patiala boy from adjacent town Nabha kept his patience and calmly turned the tables on his opponent.Jangsher, a former U17 national champion and Asian medallist, has a mini-Tanvi Sharma story. Like her, his mother Rashpal played volleyball too, though not professionally. She is a government school teacher just like his father Manpreet Singh. This is the second successive year when a shuttler from Punjab is medalling at the World juniors.With a medal in the U15 Nationals, Jangsher started in badminton casually but got good at it very quickly. He started at a single court in Nabha under Syresh Kumar, and had stints at academies in Bahadurgarh and Mumbai before shifting to Centre of Excellence under Vimal Kumar and trained by Sagar Chopda and Munira coach in Bangalore.The bespectacled lad who has always played with a patkaa, has emerged as a fine player with a rhythmic style of play, combined with good temperament and patience. “Actually he was a hyper energetic kid. So to help him find an outlet we put him into badminton,” Manpreet said. “After he showed talent, full family supported him.”ALSO READ | 15-Year-old Jagsher Singh Khangura makes U19 main draw at Smt Krishna Khaitan Memorial badminton“Earlier when he started it was basic expenses. But later on as he got serious, things got tight financially for shoes and latest racquets and expensive shuttles,” father Manpreet says. “We would drive him 25 kms to Patiala (proper) and he impressed us by living independently to learn Badminton at Bahadurgarh. But today is a blessed day. Both me and my wife liked sport. She played good volleyball. I dabbled at cricket football which he too likes. But today we have a good medal in badminton,” the father said.Story continues below this adWhen Jangsher won the North Zone title few months back, he had surprised his parents by booking them into a 5 Star hotel for the first time. “We had never been to a 5 Star. But we were accompanying him to Jallandhar and he said, ‘iss baar main aapko meri taraf se hotel mein leke jaunga’. He made all the bookings. But the World juniors medal makes me happier,” he said.Punjab Badminton Association secretary Ritin Khanna said this was a massive result for the impact it held for the male shuttlers.“This is historical. Tanvi has already won for us. But Jangsher’s success will be inspiring in a state like Punjab where drugs is such an issue. Even yesterday there was a shootout. And we are very afraid that after brain drain we will lose youth to drugs. Results like Jangsher in a sport like badminton can inspire and offer direction to misled youth,” Khanna said.Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More