Hyderabad shuttler Sathish Kumar Karunakaran won the KBA Badminton International Challenge in Bengaluru on Sunday, defeating statemate Gnana Dattu in the final. The 25-year-old TOPS athlete has represented India at the World Junior Championships and international tournaments
Published Date – 1 November 2026, 08:50 PM
Hyderabad: Sathish Kumar Karunakaran of A Zone Sports, one of Hyderabad’s biggest badminton academies, won the KBA Badminton International Challenge held in Bengaluru on Sunday.
In the final, 25-year-old Sathish, who trains under Indonesian coaches Fizal and Hendra at A Zone Sports, defeated his statemate Gnana Dattu.
Sathish, who was included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the 2028 Games, once held a world ranking of 50 in men’s singles and 34 in mixed doubles. He also represented India at the World Junior Championships, besides competing in several international tournaments.
