Latest news with #Unnati
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
PV Sindhu vs Unnati Hooda at China Open, Head-to-Head, timing and more: In a generational clash, can the youngster pull off an upset?
After overcoming one of the best young players in the world in 18-year-old Tomoka Miyazaki, PV Sindhu next faces one of the rising talent in Indian badminton, the 17-year-old Unnati Hooda at China Open in the round of 16 on Thursday. Sindhu, once world No 2, has moved down the rankings in recent times and is placed No 15 in the world now. Meanwhile, Unnati has steadily climbed the ladder and is India's No 3 now, ranked No 35 in the world. Unnati has had a decent year on the tour, finding her feet while competing at the senior level, as she reached the semifinals at Taipei Open, where she incidentally lost against Miyazaki, despite holding a decent lead in the opening game. She had also reached the quarterfinal at German Open, where former junior world champion Riko Gunji defeated her in a marathon. In Lucknow last year at the Syed Modi Super 300, Unnati didn't know who she would be meeting in the semifinal when she was speaking to reporters after her quarterfinal win against USA's Ishika Jaiswal. But she had a fair idea as PV Sindhu was leading in her match. Unnati was excited about the prospect of the first meeting against the legendary figure of Indian badminton. 'I guess it will be Sindhu di, and it will be my first ever meeting against her,' the 17-year-old from Rohtak beamed. 'I am really excited. I have been in the Uber Cup team with her. She has achieved so much in her career, she is an idol for every young Indian shuttler.' On the international circuit, Sindhu and Unnati have played just once: at Syed Modi Super 300 in Lucknow last year. Despite offering some brief glimpses of her talent, Unnati just couldn't land any sustained punches on Sindhu who won 21-12 21-9 in just 36 minutes. 'She was quite attacking,' Unnati recalled about that match. 'You got to have a very good defense to pick her smashes. But there is a chance. There are areas. I need to be strategically at my best.' Ashwini Ponnappa, India's doubles legend, was commentating during that match and felt that Unnati would have been better off not going for the lines repeatedly and instead of pushing too hard for winners, could try to keep the shuttle in play. In what has been very drifty conditions so far in Changzhou, that could well be the key for the youngster: to control the errors. 'I try to keep it same whether I'm playing No 1 or No 2. Stick to the plan. I'm not taking pressure to be the next Sindhu. It's my own distinct journey. I definitely need to achieve what they did, but I'm aware it will be a difficult journey. But uniquely mine,' Unnati Hooda had said in a recent interview to The Indian Express The match is estimated to begin at 1.10 pm IST and will be played as the ninth match on Court 2. With only 8 matches on Court 2 scheduled for official broadcast, this match will be streamed live on BWF TV's YouTube channel.
Hans India
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Unnati Hooda dazzles with upset win, sets up Round-of-16 clash with Sindhu at China Open
Changzhou: India's rising badminton star Unnati Hooda produced a stunning performance to knock out veteran Scottish shuttler Kirsty Gilmour in straight games at the China Open 2025, setting up an all-Indian Round-of-16 clash with PV Sindhu. The 17-year-old displayed exceptional composure and skill to win 21-11, 21-16 in just 36 minutes, marking one of the biggest victories of her young career on the BWF World Tour. From the outset, Unnati looked sharp and confident, keeping the pressure on Gilmour with tight net play and well-placed smashes. Her ability to control the pace of rallies and draw errors from the experienced Scot was a highlight of the match. The teenager raced through the first game, giving Gilmour little chance to recover. The second game saw more resistance, but Unnati never lost grip on the contest and closed it out with maturity beyond her years. With this win, Unnati not only progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of a Super 1000 event but also earned a rare chance to test herself against PV Sindhu — India's most decorated women's shuttler — in what promises to be a generational showdown. Earlier in the day, two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu fought past Japan's sixth seed Tomoka Miyazaki 21-15, 8-21, 21-17 to advance to the next round. Sindhu started strongly, using her experience to dominate the first game, but Miyazaki hit back emphatically in the second. In the decider, Sindhu raced to an early lead and fended off a late charge from the teenager to seal victory in 62 minutes. This was Sindhu's first win over Miyazaki, who had beaten her at the Swiss Open last year. In men's doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty eased into the Round-of-16 with a convincing 21-13, 21-9 win over Japan's Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura. However, it was a disappointment for the women's doubles duo Rutaparna and Swetaparna Panda, who lost to a higher-ranked Hong Kong China pair.
News18
11 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
From Idol To Opponent: 17-Year-Old Unnati Hooda's Historic Rise In Badminton
Last Updated: Unnati Hooda, a rising star in Indian badminton, made history by winning the Odisha Open at 14 and defeating Kirsty Gilmour at 17. She now faces her idol PV Sindhu next. From idolizing legends to challenging them on the court, Unnati Hooda's journey in Indian badminton has come full circle. Over the past decade, India has witnessed the rise of several badminton greats—Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, and Kidambi Srikanth, to the current generation of stars like Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Lakshya Sen. Now, a new name is rapidly emerging to join that elite list: Unnati Hooda. Making History at Just 14 Unnati burst onto the international scene in 2022 when, at just 14 years of age, she claimed the Odisha Open title, becoming the youngest Indian ever to win a Super 100 BWF World Tour event. The win instantly marked her as one of the brightest young prospects in Indian badminton. Breaking Records at 17 Now 17, Unnati has continued her meteoric rise. Ranked a career-high world No. 37, she etched her name in the history books once again by defeating Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour at a prestigious World Tour 1000 event. Unnati stunned the two-time Commonwealth Games medallist with a 21-11, 21-16 win in just 36 minutes at the Olympic Sports Centre on Wednesday. Her performance was highlighted by a brilliant comeback in the second game, rallying from 8-13 down to secure the match in style. A Dream Match Against Her Idol With her victory, Unnati has now set up a Round of 16 clash with none other than PV Sindhu, a player she has long admired. 'I am a big fan of PV Sindhu's smashes. Growing up, I have always aspired to play like her. I'm hoping that I will get an opportunity to see her play and learn from her game," Unnati told The Tribune in an interview earlier this year. Now, not only will she see Sindhu play—she'll share the same court with her as a competitor. A Meteoric Climb in the Rankings Unnati's breakthrough year was 2022. She started the season ranked world No. 418, but her Odisha Open win propelled her up the rankings, jumping more than 200 spots to No. 217. Her rapid ascent didn't stop there. By the end of 2022, she had broken into the top 100. Unnati's second senior title came in October 2023, when she defeated compatriot Samiya Imad Farooqui in a tightly contested final at the Abu Dhabi Masters, another Super 100 BWF World Tour event. With a World Tour 1000 title win under her belt and a dream face-off with her childhood idol, Unnati Hooda is no longer just a promising youngster—she's a rising force in international badminton. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Deccan Herald
18-06-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
Shalini students urge civic leaders to act on plastic and waste
As part of World Environment Day, students from Shalini International School, Channarayapatna, visited the municipal office and submitted a formal letter to the chief officer and municipality chairman. Students Unnati, Tasmeen Fatima, Dhanvitha, Trishanth, and Reedha offered their support in tackling plastic pollution and solid waste management. Later, students distributed cloth and paper bags to the public to promote sustainable alternatives. Municipality President CN Mohan and Chief Officer Yatish applauded the initiative and explained the town's current waste management efforts. The programme saw participation from Head Teacher Deepti Sophia and Usha, and was widely appreciated for encouraging student-led civic action.
India Today
18-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
How Indian furniture design is quietly redefining modern luxury living
It doesn't announce itself. It arrives gently, in the silhouette of a bench that looks like it's exhaling, in the warm edge of a cabinet that seems to invite your touch. Across India's fast-transforming design landscape, a quieter, more intimate movement is gaining ground.A movement where furniture isn't just aesthetic or functional — it's emotional. Its presence. It's Today spoke with Ms. Unnati Varma, Founder & Designer, UCUORO, to understand a design shift that's more soulful than showy — where furniture is no longer just built but In a conversation with India Today, Unnati Varma explains that this new wave of luxury design isn't trend-driven — it's intention-led. 'The best pieces today are shaped as much by dialogue as by design,' she shares. 'We often begin not with what it looks like, but how it feels when 4 pm sunlight hits it. Or how it might age with the first scuff. That's the emotion we're after.'This kind of furniture is born not in factory floors, but in ateliers that move slowly, deliberately, often taking months to complete a single piece. It's less about production and more about presence. Objects are not designed to perform; they're designed to respond to space, to stillness, to the surrounding NOT SHOWROOMSInstead of traditional store launches or catalogue reveals, many Indian studios are now introducing their creations through curated 'salons.' These are part-gallery, part-performance evenings, where a floor lamp may debut beside a poetry recital or a table is unveiled to the rhythm of a no sales pitch here,' Unnati notes. It's about allowing people to experience a piece through mood, sound, scent — not just sight. It's immersive. Almost like memory theatre.'This approach is reminiscent of the salons of 19th-century Europe, but reimagined for contemporary India — rich with cultural nuance, and focused not on luxury for status, but for sensorial MEMORY MEETS MATERIALWhat makes this wave of Indian design special is its material intelligence. Salvaged woods, aged cottons, cane weaves from heirloom baskets — each choice rooted in something remembered. But this isn't nostalgia for its own modern forms carry the temperature of the past. 'The Indian-ness of it,' Unnati explains, 'is not in the motifs. It's in the rhythm. The restraint. The breath the piece allows.'A table here isn't just something to use. It's something that holds — warmth, time, and of the most defining ideas of this design movement is the dissolving of boundaries — between sculpture and seat, between utility and art. A screen might behave like a painting. A daybed might evoke nothing is precious or untouchable. These are living objects — meant to be used, worn, softened with time. 'They embrace imperfection,' says Unnati. 'Like a good story, they become richer with each retelling.'advertisementIn a sense, the patina isn't damage — it's THAT SLOW YOU DOWNWhat connects the creators leading this shift is not a single aesthetic but a shared intent — to slow things down. To build spaces that are not filled, but felt. Where every object tells a story, not through explanation, but through approach is increasingly being reflected in how collections are launched: not through fast fashion-style rollouts, but through experiences — multisensory, layered, and slow.'It's a grammar of atmosphere,' says Unnati. 'We're seeing a kind of cultural quietening — where people are beginning to choose touch over trend. Silence over spectacle.'At its heart, this is not a design boom. It's a sensibility furniture holds more than form — it holds memory. Of the hands that shaped it. Of the time it took. Of the silence it sat in before becoming yours.'It's not about revivalism,' Unnati says. 'It's about re-sensitisation. Creating furniture that feels. That listens. That remembers.'And in a world speeding toward more — this quiet, deliberate design might just be India's loudest idea yet. advertisement
