Srikanth Kidambi is one of India's most successful men's singles badminton players, having reached the top of the world rankings in April 2018, won a silver medal at the 2021 BWF World Championships and helped India secure its historic first Thomas Cup title in 2022. Born on February 7, 1993, the Andhra Pradesh-born shuttler has established himself as an important figure in Indian badminton through his international titles and performances against some of the world's best players.
At 33 years old in November 2026, Kidambi continues to compete internationally. His journey includes an Olympic quarter-final appearance, multiple international tournament victories, a World Championship final and a memorable leadership role in India's Thomas Cup triumph.
His career is particularly notable because he became the first Indian man to reach the No. 1 position in the BWF men's singles rankings since Prakash Padukone. From defeating badminton legend Lin Dan to winning against leading international opponents, Kidambi has built a career that has inspired a generation of Indian shuttlers.
Srikanth Kidambi Details
| Particular | Details |
| Full name | Srikanth Nammalwar Kidambi |
| Date of birth | February 7, 1993 |
| Age | 33 years (2026) |
| Birthplace | Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Professional badminton player |
| Sport | Badminton |
| Playing category | Men's singles |
| Playing hand | Right-handed |
| Highest world ranking | World No. 1 |
| World No. 1 achievement | April 2018 |
| Olympic appearance | Rio 2016 |
| Olympic result | Quarter-finalist |
| Major achievement | 2021 World Championships silver |
| Team achievement | 2022 Thomas Cup gold |
| Awards | Arjuna Award, Padma Shri |
Srikanth Kidambi Age and Early Life
Image Source: Twitter
Srikanth Nammalwar Kidambi was born on February 7, 1993, in Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh, into a Telugu family. His interest in badminton developed during his childhood, and his family played an important role in supporting his sporting ambitions.
His father, KVS Krishna, is a landlord, while his mother, Radha, is a homemaker. Srikanth also has an elder brother, K. Nandagopal, who is a badminton player and junior national champion.
The two brothers initially lived together and developed their interest in the sport. However, Srikanth's professional ambitions required dedicated training, and he moved to the Gopichand Badminton Academy in 2008 to pursue badminton more seriously.
The academy, established in Hyderabad by former Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand, became a key part of his development. Training in a competitive environment helped him improve his technique, fitness and understanding of international badminton.
His early progress eventually translated into international success, laying the foundation for one of India's most memorable badminton careers.
How Srikanth Kidambi Started His Badminton Career
Kidambi began attracting attention through junior competitions before establishing himself on the international circuit.
One of his early achievements came at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games held on the Isle of Man. He won a bronze medal in boys' doubles and a silver medal in mixed doubles, demonstrating his potential as a young badminton player.
The same year, he won titles in both the singles and doubles categories at the All India Junior International Badminton Championship held in Pune.
In 2012, he secured the Maldives International Challenge men's singles title after defeating Malaysia's Zulfadli Zulkiffli, who was the reigning junior world champion.
His breakthrough at the senior international level arrived in 2013 when he won the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title. He defeated Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana, then ranked eighth in the world, in straight games.
That year, he also won his first senior national championship by defeating defending champion Parupalli Kashyap.
These victories established Kidambi as one of India's promising men's singles players and prepared him for bigger international challenges.
Srikanth Kidambi Career: Major Achievements and Milestones
Kidambi's career includes several landmark victories, particularly against established international badminton stars. His performances between 2014 and 2018 were especially important in establishing India's presence in men's singles badminton.
2014: Historic Victory Against Lin Dan
One of the biggest turning points in Kidambi's career came at the 2014 China Open Super Series Premier.
He defeated China's Lin Dan, a five-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion, in the men's singles final with a score of 21–19, 21–17.
The victory made Kidambi the first Indian player to win a men's singles title at a Super Series Premier tournament.
It was an important moment for Indian badminton because beating a player of Lin Dan's stature demonstrated that Kidambi could compete with the best in the sport.
He also reached the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open Super Series and qualified for the BWF Super Series Finals.
Image Source: Twitter
2015: Swiss Open and India Open Titles
Kidambi continued his progress in 2015 by winning the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold title.
He defeated Denmark's Viktor Axelsen 21–15, 12–21, 21–14 in the final to become the first Indian man to win the tournament.
He subsequently secured the India Open Super Series title, defeating Axelsen again in the final.
These victories strengthened his reputation as a consistent international competitor and demonstrated his ability to deliver under pressure.
2016: Rio Olympics Journey
The 2016 Rio Olympics marked an important chapter in Kidambi's career.
Competing in men's singles, he progressed to the quarter-finals after defeating Mexico's Lino Muñoz, Sweden's Henri Hurskainen and Denmark's Jan Ø. Jørgensen.
His victory against Jørgensen was particularly impressive, as he defeated the world No. 5 player 21–19, 21–19.
However, his Olympic campaign ended in the quarter-finals against China's Lin Dan. Kidambi lost 6–21, 21–11, 18–21 in a closely contested match after recovering strongly in the second game.
He finished joint fifth in the men's singles competition, making the tournament an important milestone in his international career.
The same year, he won two gold medals at the South Asian Games, in men's singles and the men's team event. He also captured the Syed Modi International title.
2017: Four Major Super Series Titles
The 2017 season was arguably the most successful period of Kidambi's career.
He won four major BWF Super Series titles during the year:
- Indonesia Open
- Australian Open
- Denmark Open
- French Open
At the Indonesia Open, he defeated Japan's Kazumasa Sakai 21–11, 21–19. He followed that achievement by beating China's Chen Long 22–20, 21–16 in the Australian Open final.
His success continued at the Denmark Open, where he defeated South Korea's Lee Hyun-il 21–10, 21–5.
At the French Open, he overcame Japan's Kenta Nishimoto 21–14, 21–13 to complete his fourth Super Series title of the season.
With these victories, Kidambi became only the fourth player to win four Super Series titles in a calendar year, joining Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan and Chen Long in that exclusive group.
His remarkable performances also helped him reach the world No. 2 ranking, his highest position at that stage.
2018: Becoming World No. 1
April 2018 was a defining moment in Kidambi's career.
He reached the top of the BWF men's singles world rankings, becoming the first Indian man to achieve the position since Prakash Padukone.
Although his stay at the top lasted only one week, the achievement placed him among the most accomplished Indian badminton players.
The same year, he enjoyed success at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
He won a gold medal in the mixed team competition and a silver medal in men's singles after losing the final to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei.
These achievements further strengthened his reputation as one of India's leading international badminton players.
2021: World Championships Silver Medal
Image Source: Twitter
Another historic achievement arrived in 2021 when Kidambi reached the men's singles final at the BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain.
He became the first Indian male badminton player to reach the final of the men's singles competition at the World Championships.
In the final, he faced Singapore's Loh Kean Yew. Kidambi lost 15–21, 20–22, finishing the tournament with a silver medal.
Although he missed out on the gold medal, reaching the final was a significant achievement for Indian men's badminton.
It also added another major individual honour to his international career.
2022: India's Historic Thomas Cup Victory
Kidambi played an important role in India's historic Thomas Cup campaign in 2022.
He was part of the Indian men's team that won the prestigious tournament for the first time in the country's history. India defeated 14-time champions Indonesia 3–0 in the final in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kidambi also served as the team's captain and won his match against Jonatan Christie in the final.
The victory was particularly meaningful because India had never previously won the Thomas Cup, one of the most prestigious team competitions in international badminton.
His contribution as both a player and leader made the achievement one of the defining moments of his career.
Srikanth Kidambi Career in 2025 and 2026
Image Source: Twitter
Even after achieving major milestones earlier in his career, Kidambi has continued competing on the international badminton circuit.
In 2025, he reached the finals of two BWF World Tour tournaments:
- Malaysia Masters 2025: Finished runner-up after losing to China's Li Shifeng.
- Syed Modi International 2025: Finished runner-up after losing to Hong Kong's Jason Gunawan.
He also continued participating in international tournaments in 2026.
One of his notable performances came at the US Open 2026, where he reached the men's singles final. He defeated several opponents on his way to the summit clash before losing to Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang 15–21, 21–16, 9–21.
The result earned him a silver medal and demonstrated that the former world No. 1 remained capable of reaching major tournament finals.
He also competed at the 2026 China Masters, Arctic Open and Denmark Open, continuing his presence on the international circuit.
Srikanth Kidambi Net Worth
Srikanth Kidambi's exact net worth has not been publicly disclosed through a verified financial statement or an official source. Therefore, there is no reliable figure that can be presented as his confirmed personal wealth.
As a professional badminton player, his potential sources of income include:
- International tournament prize money.
- Sponsorship and brand endorsement agreements.
- Sports-related commercial partnerships.
- Government sports awards and incentives.
- Other professional appearances and activities.
His achievements at the BWF World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Thomas Cup and international tournaments have contributed to his professional standing.
However, tournament earnings, sponsorship values and personal assets are different financial categories. Without verified information about his contracts, investments and assets, assigning him a specific net worth would be speculative.
What is his net worth in 2026? There is no officially confirmed public estimate available. Readers should treat figures circulated on unofficial celebrity and biography websites with caution.
Srikanth Kidambi Awards and Honours
Kidambi's contributions to Indian badminton have earned him recognition at the national and international levels.
Some of his most notable honours include:
| Award or achievement | Year |
| Arjuna Award | 2015 |
| Padma Shri | 2018 |
| BWF World No. 1 | 2018 |
| BWF World Championships silver | 2021 |
| Thomas Cup gold | 2022 |
| Commonwealth Games mixed team gold | 2018 |
The Government of India recognised his contribution to sports by awarding him the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 2018.
His World No. 1 ranking and World Championships silver medal remain among his most significant individual achievements, while the Thomas Cup victory represents a historic team accomplishment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is Srikanth Kidambi's age in 2026?
Srikanth Kidambi is 33 years old as of November 2026. He was born on February 7, 1993, in Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh.
2. What is Srikanth Kidambi's highest world ranking?
Srikanth Kidambi achieved the World No. 1 position in the BWF men's singles rankings in April 2018. He became the first Indian man to achieve this position since Prakash Padukone.
3. What is Srikanth Kidambi's net worth?
His exact net worth has not been officially disclosed. Any specific figure circulated online should be treated as an unverified estimate.
4. Did Srikanth Kidambi win an Olympic medal?
No. Kidambi represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and reached the men's singles quarter-finals. He finished joint fifth after losing to Lin Dan.
5. Did Srikanth Kidambi win the World Badminton Championship?
He won a silver medal at the 2021 BWF World Championships in men's singles. He lost the final to Singapore's Loh Kean Yew.
6. Was Srikanth Kidambi part of India's Thomas Cup-winning team?
Yes. He was part of the Indian men's team that won its first-ever Thomas Cup title in 2022. He also captained the team and defeated Jonatan Christie in the final against Indonesia.
7. Which awards has Srikanth Kidambi received?
He received the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 2018 for his contribution to Indian sports.
8. What was Srikanth Kidambi's achievement at the US Open 2026?
Kidambi finished runner-up in the men's singles competition at the 2026 US Open. He lost the final to Chinese Taipei's Su Li-yang in three games, securing the silver medal.
