As the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Championships 2025 approach, India's top badminton stars HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, and Ashwini Ponnappa have stepped forward to motivate the Indian team. The prestigious tournament is set to take place in Guwahati from October 6 to 19, 2025, marking India's return as hosts after 17 years.

Prannoy, a former World Junior Championships medalist, emphasized the significance of the event for the young players. "It's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent India at the World Juniors," he stated. He highlighted that the tournament serves as a crucial stepping stone for junior players as they transition to the senior level, providing them with invaluable experience against top global competitors. Prannoy also pointed out that most of the Indian squad members have been training at the state-of-the-art National Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Guwahati and will benefit from their familiarity with the conditions. He encouraged them to capitalize on this advantage.

Echoing Prannoy's sentiments, Lakshya Sen, also a World Junior Championships bronze medalist, stressed the importance of maintaining focus amidst heightened expectations. "It's your home turf. It's a great event to take advantage of the home support and conditions,” Sen said. He noted that the players need to remain committed and not get distracted.

Ashwini Ponnappa, a 2011 World Championships bronze medalist, urged the junior players to have faith in their training and give their all to secure medals for the country. "Trust the training process you have followed… and give your best to win as many medals for the country," she advised.

This year marks the second time India has hosted the BWF World Junior Championships, with the first being in Pune in 2008. India is hoping to secure a podium finish in the mixed team event for the first time and is also aiming for a strong showing in the paired events during the individual championships. India has secured 11 medals in the history of the World Junior Championships, including one gold and four silver. The nation's best performance was in 2008, when Saina Nehwal won gold and RMV Gurusai Dutt won bronze.

The World Junior Championships 2025 will commence with the Mixed Team Championships for the Suhandinata Cup from October 6 to 11, followed by the Individual Championships for the Eye Level Cup from October 13 to 19. The Indian team has been drawn in Group H for the Suhandinata Cup, alongside Hong Kong China, Nepal, and Ghana.

In addition to the on-court action, the BWF is implementing an integrity education program at the championships. All players must complete an anti-doping education course before arriving in Guwahati. The BWF will also conduct integrity educational activities at the iZone during the championships.