New Delhi: Sixteen-year-old Tasnim Mir became India’s first junior singles world number 1 in badminton Wednesday.
According to the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, the next highest ranked Indian is another 16-year-old, Anupama Upadhyaya, who jumped 29 places to reach the tenth spot.
Tasnim Mir, who is from Mehsana, Gujarat, climbed three places in the rankings from fourth to first, on the back of winning three junior tournament titles in Bulgaria, France and Belgium towards the end of last year.
Mir’s father Irfan Mir is a badminton coach and former player, while her brother Mohammad Ali Mir is a former state-level title winner.
“When I was seven years old, I used to accompany my father to the stadium just to watch badminton. Initially, I started playing for fun but because I was good at it, I gradually started training with my father… He was my first badminton partner and my first badminton match was with him too,” she told the Hindustan Times in a recent interview.
Having initially trained at Greater Noida’s Pullela Gopichand Academy from 2017 onwards, Mir relocated to Guwahati’s Assam Badminton Academy in 2020 to train with her mixed doubles partner Ayan Rashid, and continues to train there.
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‘Will completely focus on senior circuit now’
Mir told PTI that she had not expected this achievement due to the impact of Covid-19 on the international badminton calendar last year, but is already focusing on taking the next step, of moving from junior badminton to the big leagues.
“I will completely focus on the senior circuit from now on, and am looking forward to playing in Iran and Uganda next month. My aim now is to improve my senior ranking. If I can weave some good performances and get into the top 200 by the end of the year, that would be great,” the agency quoted her as saying.
The teenager received a great deal of praise and recognition from public figures like Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia, Gujarat Cricket Association Vice President Dhanraj Nathwani, and Minister of State for Railways and Textiles Darshana Jardosh, for her rise in the rankings.
Accolades to Tasnim Mir daughter of Irfan Mir,ASI Mehsana police in achieving a great milestone by becoming first in junior world rankings in badminton.many more milestones to come.@sanghaviharsh @CMOGuj @AmitShah @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/R0AmEVvakI
— DGP Gujarat (@dgpgujarat) January 12, 2022
Congratulations to #Gujarat's #TasnimMir on becoming World No. 1 in U-19 girls #Badminton singles category. Your dedication & hard work has made this possible and it has truly set a new-benchmark for the young shuttlers to aspire. @Tasnimmir_india https://t.co/DSdMWz4nhv pic.twitter.com/Y0DtMMPYU7
— Dhanraj Nathwani (@DhanrajNathwani) January 13, 2022
Congratulations to 16-year-old Tasnim Mir from Gujarat on becoming the first Under-19 🇮🇳 Indian Badminton player to achieve World No. 1 ranking in the Junior Rankings!
You have made all of us very proud Tasnim! 👏#Badminton pic.twitter.com/cuzUqsE8EE
— Darshana Jardosh (@DarshanaJardosh) January 13, 2022
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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