Pune: Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy (NKBA) proudly celebrates a historic milestone as its athletes delivered a spectacular performance at the Bahrain BWF Para Badminton World Championships 2026, winning two gold medals for India.
Pramod Bhagat clinched a record sixth World Championship title in the Men’s Singles SL3 category, defeating Muh Al Imran 21-12, 21-18 in the final. He then partnered with Sukant Kadam to secure the Men’s Doubles SL3–SL4 World Championship title, defeating fellow Indians Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar 21-11, 22-11.
This remarkable achievement marks a proud moment for NKBA, as both gold medals were won by athletes trained at the academy.
Expressing his thoughts Nikhil Kanetkar said “This is an incredibly proud moment for NKBA and for Indian badminton. Seeing both gold medals come from our academy at the World Championships is truly special. Pramod has once again shown why he is one of the greatest para badminton players in the world. His consistency, discipline and hunger to keep improving are inspiring for every young athlete. Sukant has been phenomenal as well, and his partnership with Pramod in doubles showcased exceptional teamwork, resilience and belief. These victories reflect the hard work put in by the players and the entire support team at NKBA.”
Pramod Bhagat, celebrating his sixth world title, said “This has been a very challenging and competitive tournament, and I’m extremely happy to win both singles and doubles gold for India. Every match demanded focus, patience and strong preparation. Training at NKBA has played a huge role in my performance — the coaching, match preparation, and support system here push me to keep raising my standards every day. I’m grateful to the academy for standing behind me throughout this journey.”
NKBA would like to thank the Government of India, Government of Maharashtra, BAI, OGQ, our dedicated coaches at NKBA, and all well-wishers for their constant support, guidance and encouragement that make these achievements possible.
