Safar Champions Ka goes beyond the arena to explore the journeys, experiences, challenges and turning points that shape India’s sporting champions. In this episode, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy opens up about the journey that took him from a small town and district level tournaments to becoming a World No. 1, while remembering the family, coaches and support system that helped shape his career.
For Satwik, the journey began far away from the biggest badminton arenas. It began in a small town, with early morning runs, school days he would sometimes skip and district tournaments that slowly shaped his love for the sport.
Looking back at those early years, Satwik remembers the influence of his parents, R. Kasi Viswanatham and Rangamani, who supported his journey and his ambition to represent India. His father, in particular, played an important role in shaping his understanding of badminton.
His father’s influence went beyond encouragement. Even when Satwik was very young and playing doubles, he received simple but important tactical advice. “He used to tell me you do this while playing badminton. He told me a few things. So when I was playing doubles at my very young age he told me, keep your racket always up.”
Years later, when Mathias Boe became part of his journey, Satwik heard almost the same advice from his coach.
“The first thing he told me was that your racket is always down. Keep your racket always up. Your racket is always down.” The moment reminded Satwik of what his father had told him years earlier and highlighted the knowledge his father had passed on to him.
The road to the top, however, was not without difficult moments. Satwik admits that when he looks back, becoming World No. 1 was something he had never imagined. “It’s tough whenever I look back. I never thought I would become world number one or I’ll get all these things. But whatever I did, I wanted to make them happy all the time.”
His family also faced difficult phases along the way, but his parents made sure Satwik could concentrate on badminton. “But they never showed me that phase. They said, "You go and play, I will take care of everything.”
By the end of 2015, another significant moment entered his journey. His coach told Satwik and Chirag Shetty that they could potentially reach the World Top 10. At just 15, Satwik did not take the prediction seriously. “So you are not so confident about that when he said that because I was 15 years old and he was talking about world top 10. I was laughing at that time.”
After a few early losses, their victory at a national tournament in Kerala gave the young pair a major boost. Then came the Thomas Cup, which Satwik identifies as the beginning of a golden period. “It started from the Thomas Cup, where we won that tournament. From then it’s all golden period I think.” Their confidence grew, leading to victories at major events, the Asian Games and eventually the World No. 1 ranking.
For Satwik, the journey has also created a new dream. “So we have planned to make an academy in our hometown. I want to make children play. That’s our goal.” It is a way of giving back to the place where his own journey began.
Today, Satwik also sees success as the result of an entire support system. Speaking about Reliance Foundation Sports, he says, “It’s not about players, it’s about the team.” He highlights the communication between his coach, trainer and rehabilitation team, saying, “It’s hats off to the team.”
From a small town to the summit of world badminton, Satwik’s journey has been built on family, coaches, teammates and a team that continues to stand behind him. As he looks towards the Asian Games, his focus remains firmly on the next challenge. “So, again, no pressure, obviously. It’s a big tournament for this year, I think. So, right now the focus is on Asian Games.”