Emerging badminton player Inayat Gulati from Jalandhar has won the Under-15 girls’ singles title at the All India Sub-Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament held in Jaipur. She secured the prestigious trophy after defeating the second-seeded player in the semifinal and the top seed in the final.
In the title clash, Inayat staged an impressive comeback after losing the opening game to beat top-seeded Alexia Elsa Alexander 6-15, 15-3, 15-10. Her victory against the tournament favourite capped a remarkable run in the competition.
Earlier, Inayat defeated second seed Ariyama Chakravarty 20-21, 15-11, 15-11 in the semifinal to book her place in the final.
With this achievement, Inayat has become the first player from Jalandhar and the second from Punjab, after Tanvi Sharma, to win the prestigious trophy. Originally from Phagwara, she studies at Delhi Public School (DPS), Jalandhar, and represents Jalandhar in badminton competitions.
₹21,000 Cash Award Announced
Punjab Badminton Association (PBA) secretary Ritin Khanna has announced that the District Badminton Association, Jalandhar, will honour Inayat with a cash award of ₹21,000 upon her return.
Training Under Former International Players
Inayat trains at Ratti Badminton Academy in Jalandhar under former international players Sachin Ratti and Gagan Ratti.
She has already achieved several milestones in her young career. In 2025, she won six gold medals at the Jalandhar District Badminton Championship, including the Under-19 title.
She also won a silver medal in the Under-15 mixed doubles event at a tournament in Bengaluru, earning selection to the Indian sub-junior team. In September, she represented India at the Asian Sub-Junior Badminton Championships held in China.
In August, Inayat also won the women’s singles title at the Punjab State Senior Ranking tournament. Her latest triumph in Jaipur adds another significant achievement to her growing badminton career.