BENGALURU, India — November 12, 2026 — Under the strategic guidance of Bengaluru-based badminton coach Anilkumar Raju Mandiraju, India’s premier women’s doubles pair, K. Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam, has secured back-to-back international podium finishes on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) circuit, culminating in a semifinal bronze medal run at the Telangana India International Challenge 2026 in Hyderabad.
The November 3–8 tournament, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation and hosted by the Badminton Association of India at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, featured top international contenders competing for a US$25,000 prize purse. Competing under Mandiraju’s tactical direction, Bhat and Gautam advanced to the semifinals before falling in a tightly contested three-game match (21–19, 10–21, 19–21) to Japan’s Mei Sudo and Mai Tanabe, who subsequently captured the women’s doubles title.
A Track Record of Elite Athlete Development
The Hyderabad podium finish follows immediately on the heels of a silver medal performance by Bhat and Gautam at the KBA Diamond Jubilee India International Challenge in Bengaluru (October 27 – November 1, 2026). Together, the consecutive medals underscore the sustained competitive consistency Mandiraju has built within his training program.
A former Indian international doubles specialist who achieved a career-best BWF World Ranking of 76 during his playing career, Mandiraju has transitioned his on-court experience into a high-performance coaching methodology focused on tactical adaptability and high-pressure doubles execution.
Strategic Leadership on the International Stage
In a tournament where Indian athletes captured three of the five championship titles—with victories from Tushar Suveer (men's singles), Rakshitha Sri Santosh Ramraj (women's singles), and G. Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy (men's doubles)—Mandiraju’s players stood out as the nation's top performers in the women’s doubles draw.
"Securing back-to-back international podiums—silver in Bengaluru followed immediately by bronze at the Telangana India International Challenge—is a testament to Ashwini and Shikha's discipline, resilience, and tactical execution under pressure," Mandiraju said following the tournament. "Competing on home soil brings high expectations, and their ability to adapt throughout the week against top international pairs sets a strong foundation for our upcoming BWF circuit targets."
Through his work in Bengaluru at Yadav Pro Badminton Academy, Mandiraju continues to play a central role in developing India's international doubles talent, preparing elite athletes for sustained success on the global BWF tour.
