India’s Tanvi Patri made history at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, by winning silver in the women’s singles badminton event. The 15-year-old from Odisha became the first Indian woman to win a badminton medal at the competition.
Tanvi’s campaign ended with a closely fought final against China’s reigning World Junior Champion Zhang Yi Xin. The Indian shuttler came close to clinching gold but eventually lost 15-21, 21-13, 26-24 in an 82-minute contest on Thursday.
Who is Tanvi Patri?
Tanvi Patri is a young badminton player from Odisha who has emerged as one of India’s promising talents in the junior circuit. She trains at the Centre of Badminton Excellence in Bengaluru and is the reigning Asian U-17 champion. She also won the Asian U-15 title in 2024, becoming the first Indian shuttler to claim both continental junior championships.
Tanvi spent part of her childhood in China, where her father was posted for work. She learnt the basics of badminton there and won her first junior titles. Interestingly, she also trained in roller skating during her early years, which helped her develop balance and coordination on the badminton court.
Tanvi’s fightback in the final
The Indian shuttler started the final strongly, taking the opening game 21-15. Zhang responded in the second game, finding her rhythm to win 21-13 and force a decider.
The third game turned into a tense contest, with Zhang moving towards victory after establishing a 19-10 lead. However, Tanvi refused to give up and began closing the gap. She saved five match points to level the score at 24-24 and then earned three opportunities to win the gold medal.
Zhang held her nerve in the closing stages and won the next two points to seal the match 26-24. The victory earned the Chinese shuttler gold, while Tanvi secured silver following a determined fightback.
Tanvi’s journey to the final
Tanvi, who trains at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA), entered the tournament as the third seed and made a strong start in the group stage.
She opened her campaign with a 21-8, 21-12 win over Mexico’s Sara Gonzalez before defeating Australia’s Smrithi Adepu 21-4, 21-12. She also beat South Korea’s Jeong Yu Jang to progress to the knockout rounds.
In the quarter-finals, Tanvi defeated Thailand’s Kakanik Kungkaew 21-17, 21-13 in 39 minutes. The victory secured her a place in the semi-finals and made her the first Indian woman to reach the badminton last four at the Youth Olympic Games.
Her semi-final against Japan’s second seed, Yuzuno Watanabe, proved more challenging. Tanvi won the opening game 21-14, but Watanabe fought back to take the second 21-11. The Indian youngster regained control in the deciding game and edged past her opponent 21-19 to book her place in the final.
Joins India’s badminton medallists
With her silver medal, Tanvi has joined a select group of Indian badminton players who have won medals at the Youth Olympic Games. H.S. Prannoy won silver at the inaugural edition in 2010, while Lakshya Sen finished runner-up in 2018. Aditya Joshi also reached the semi-finals in 2014.
Tanvi’s achievement is significant as she is the first Indian woman to win a badminton medal in the singles event at the Youth Olympic Games.
Who is Tanvi Patri? Odisha shuttler makes history with Youth Olympics silver
