The Sushant Chilpakatti Memorial Badminton Tournament, now internationally recognised as the Yonex Sunrise India Junior Grand Prix, began its journey in 1997 with a heartfelt mission: to honour a rising star gone too soon and foster the growth of young badminton talent across India and beyond.
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The tournament was established in the memory of Sushant Chilpakatti, a promising young shuttler from Pune who lost his life in a train accident in 1996 at just 16 years of age. Sushant was on his way to discuss sponsorship opportunities in Mumbai when tragedy struck, cutting short a career that held the promise of national and international greatness.
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He had already marked his presence by progressing from district to state to national titles, and had received a special award from his idol Prakash Padukone after being selected for the Prince Asian Tournament in Hong Kong.
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Determined to keep his legacy alive, Sushantโs father Ajit Chilpakatti, with the support of the Natu family and the Laxmi Krida Mandir Club, launched the tournament as a platform for budding players. What began as a state-level event has, over the last 22 years, evolved into an internationally sanctioned junior ranking tournament, proudly featured on the BWF (Badminton World Federation) calendar.
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(From right) Sushant Chilpakattiโs mother Meena, neice Riya and sister Pavalli.
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The courts of this tournament have witnessed early sparks of brilliance from some of Indiaโs biggest badminton stars, including Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and Priyanshu Rajawat, many of whom used this very platform to launch their illustrious careers.
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This year, the tournament is once again set to host a thrilling showcase of young talent. A total of 296 players are participating, representing nine countries with India contributing the highest number of entries. The week-long event is poised to be another exciting chapter in the journey of future champions.
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From a heartfelt tribute to a fallen star to a springboard for tomorrowโs icons, the Sushant Chilpakatti Memorial continues to inspire and uplift the world of junior badminton.
