The turning point in Kidambi Srikanth’s career wasn’t just talent—it was a coach’s sage advice. Born into a farmer’s family on February 7, 1993, young Srikanth emulated brother Nand Gopal, starting badminton at seven. Two years at SAI Visakhapatnam preceded his Gopichand Academy stint, where sweat and strategy built a champion.
Doubles success tempted, but the head coach urged singles focus. Boom: 2013 Thailand Open win. 2014’s China Open triumph over Lin Dan stunned the world. 2015 Swiss Open gold marked him as a trailblazer. At Rio 2016, quarterfinal glory followed.
Unmatched 2017: five Super Series finals, four titles—elite company with Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Long. Knee injury in French Open led to a painful national championship setback, but his comeback was epic. 2018 Commonwealth gold vaulted him to world No.1, India’s first male shuttler there.
Missing Tokyo 2020 hurt, but silver at 2021 BWF Worlds healed wounds. 2022 Thomas Cup captaincy brought team gold; Commonwealth added bronze and silver. Arjuna 2015, Padma Shri 2018 honored his feats. Srikanth’s journey underscores how one piece of advice can rewrite destinies.