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Tanvi Patri says that a tournament triumph after just a month of training in China convinced her coaches of her potential.
Tanvi Patri is also first Indian to win both the Asian U-15 and U-17 titles. (ANI Photo)
Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Tanvi Patri recalled how a month’s training helped her win a tournament during her time in China, setting her on a path towards badminton.
What started as a sport Tanvi took up at seven and a half gradually turned into a passion, eventually earning her a major international medal at 15.
Tanvi put up a spirited fight before going down to China’s Zhang Yi Xin in a gruelling three-game final. Despite the loss, she created history by becoming the first Indian woman shuttler to win an individual silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Tanvi’s badminton journey started in China, where her father worked for a leading footwear brand. During her formative years, she trained under two Chinese coaches, Xu and Wu, before moving back to India in 2020.
Tanvi now trains at the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru.
“When I was around seven and a half, I trained for an open tournament in China. I lost my first tournament, but performed well and won the next one, which was held about a month later,” Tanvi replied to a query from News18 Sports during a media interaction.
“That was when my Chinese coaches felt I had potential and suggested that I focus more on playing badminton to see what I could achieve in the future. That is how it all started,” Tanvi added.
“My father would take me along for training sessions with him and the Chinese coaches, while my mother also made sure I attended my training regularly,” Tanvi said.
Having bagged a major medal now, are there any specific aspects of her game that Tanvi is keen to work on and improve?
“I don’t have any specific areas in mind. My focus is on maintaining my health, building strength and working on my rehab, especially since I had a back injury. For now, that is where I’m concentrating my efforts,” Tanvi said.
The teenager has already battled a series of injuries, including knee and hamstring issues and most recently, a back injury, in the early stages of her career.
“Like earlier, I used to say that I aim to get a medal for my country in LA. But now, like this year, I also had a back injury. And last year I also had a hamstring injury. So, I think I aim to like to qualify for LA and play my best there for now,” Tanvi said.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Tanvi started playing badminton at age seven and a half while living in China, where her father worked for a footwear brand and took her along to training sessions with Chinese coaches Xu and Wu. After performing well in an open tournament there, her coaches encouraged her to focus on the sport.
Ask News18November 09, 2026, 20:53 IST
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