Srikanth Kidambi is one of the most decorated badminton players India has ever produced. A former World No. 1 and the first Indian man to reach the final of the BWF World Championships, he has spent over a decade at the top of the men’s singles game, while also captaining India to its historic first ever Thomas Cup title in 2022.
This article covers everything about Srikanth Kidambi, including his age, height, family background, career journey, records, medals, achievements and net worth.
Who Is Srikanth Kidambi
Srikanth Nammalwar Kidambi is an Indian badminton player who competes in men’s singles. In April 2018, he became the first Indian male to reach the World No. 1 ranking since Prakash Padukone. In 2021, he became the first Indian male shuttler to reach the final of the BWF World Championships in men’s singles, winning a silver medal. He also captained India’s historic Thomas Cup winning team in 2022, the country’s first ever title in that competition, and represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing fifth after a quarterfinal run.
Srikanth Kidambi Age
Srikanth Kidambi was born on February 7, 1993, in Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh. This makes him around 33 years old as of 2026. His zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Srikanth Kidambi Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
According to his official Badminton World Federation and Olympic records, Srikanth Kidambi stands at 1.78 meters, or approximately 5 feet 10 inches, with a playing weight of 73 kilograms. He has a lean, athletic build shaped by years of elite level training, along with black hair and dark brown eyes. He plays right-handed and is known for his aggressive, attacking style on the court.
Early Life and Family
Srikanth Kidambi was born in Ravulapalem, Andhra Pradesh, into a Telugu agricultural family. His father, KVS Krishna, is a farmer and landowner, and his mother, Radha Kidambi, is a homemaker. He has an elder brother, Nandagopal Kidambi, who is also a badminton player and works as an auditor with the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. His cousin sister, Ruthvika Shivani, is also a notable Indian badminton player. Srikanth picked up badminton alongside his brother in 2000, after they both joined a newly built municipal stadium in Guntur. His brother’s talent was spotted first by the Sports Authority of India, and Srikanth followed him to the Sports Academy of Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam in 2001, where the two shared a room at the academy hostel. The family lived together until 2008, after which Srikanth moved to the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad to continue his training.
Education
Detailed information about Srikanth Kidambi’s schooling and academic qualifications is not publicly documented. Like many Indian athletes who move into full time residential sports academies at a young age, his focus shifted heavily toward badminton training from his early years at the Sports Academy of Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam and later at the Pullela Gopichand Academy, and no specific school or college has been widely reported in connection with his education.
Career Journey
Srikanth Kidambi made his international debut in 2011, winning a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the Asian Junior Championships. The same year, at the Commonwealth Youth Games on the Isle of Man, he won a bronze medal in men’s doubles and a silver medal in mixed doubles, and also won both the singles and doubles titles at the All India Junior International Badminton Championship in Pune. In 2012, he defeated then Junior World Champion Zulfadli Zulkiffli of Malaysia to win the Maldives International Challenge, and also won the men’s singles title at the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold, beating world number eight Boonsak Ponsana. In 2013, he claimed his first senior national title at the All India Senior National Championships, defeating reigning champion and Olympian Parupalli Kashyap. That same year, he was also part of the Awadhe Warriors team that finished runner-up in the Indian Badminton League.
Through 2014, Srikanth reached the final of the India Open Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow, finishing runner-up, and was a quarterfinalist at the Malaysian Open. He was part of the Indian badminton contingent that reached the semifinals of the mixed team event at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and also reached the singles quarterfinals at the same Games.
His breakthrough on the global stage came in November 2014, when he stunned five time World Champion and two time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan in the final of the China Open Super Series Premier, becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series Premier men’s title. He followed this by reaching the semifinals of the Hong Kong Open Super Series, before qualifying for the prestigious BWF Super Series Masters Finals, where he beat Kento Momota and Tommy Sugiarto in the group stage before losing to Chen Long in the semifinal. In 2015, he became the first Indian to win a title at the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, defeating Viktor Axelsen, and also won the India Open Super Series title, again beating Axelsen in the final, rising to a career best ranking of world number 2 at the time. He also won the Arjuna Award that year in recognition of his achievements. Elsewhere that season, he reached the semifinals of the Malaysia Masters, losing to Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, and finished runner-up at both the Syed Modi International, losing to Parupalli Kashyap, and the Indonesian Masters, losing to Tommy Sugiarto. The Badminton Association of India awarded him a cash prize of 500,000 rupees each for his Swiss Open and India Super Series victories that year.
In 2016, Srikanth won two gold medals, in men’s singles and the men’s team event, at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, and remained undefeated at the Badminton Asia Team Championships despite India’s semifinal exit. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, seeded as world number 11, he beat Lino Munoz and Henri Hurskainen to reach the round of 16, then defeated world number 5 Jan O. Jorgensen to reach the quarterfinals, before losing to Lin Dan, finishing the tournament in fifth place. In 2017, he and Sai Praneeth became the first ever Indian pair to reach the final of a ranking event at the Singapore Super Series, with Sai Praneeth eventually prevailing in three games. Later that year Srikanth won four titles of his own, at the Indonesia Open, Australian Open, Denmark Open and French Open, becoming only the fourth player in history to win four Super Series titles in a single year, equaling a record held by Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan and Chen Long. At the 2017 BWF World Championships, he was defeated in the quarterfinal by South Korea’s Son Wan-Ho. Following his string of title wins, he reached his career best ranking of world number 2. The Badminton Association of India awarded him cash prizes of 500,000 rupees each for his Indonesia Open and Australian Open Super Series Premier victories that year.
In April 2018, Srikanth Kidambi rose to the world number 1 ranking for a week, becoming the first Indian male shuttler to achieve the feat since Prakash Padukone. He had started that year with early exits, losing in the second round at both the India Open and the All England Open. At the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, he won gold in the mixed team event and silver in the men’s singles event, and was subsequently honored with the Padma Shri. He went on to lose in the pre-quarterfinals of the 2018 BWF World Championships to Liew Daren, and had a disappointing 2018 Asian Games, exiting in the first round of the singles event and seeing his team lose in the quarterfinals despite his own win over the Maldives in the opening round. However, a string of injuries hampered his form in the years that followed, and he missed selection for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
In 2019, Srikanth represented India at the South Asian Games in Nepal, where the team won the gold medal in the men’s team event.
Srikanth bounced back strongly in the second half of 2021, climbing back into the world’s top 10 and capping the year with a historic silver medal at the 2021 BWF World Championships in men’s singles, becoming the first Indian male shuttler to reach a World Championship final. In 2022, he was appointed captain of the Indian men’s team at the Thomas Cup, leading a young Indian squad to their maiden Thomas Cup title, defeating 14-time champions Indonesia in the final, a result widely regarded as one of the greatest moments in Indian badminton history. Later that year, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he won a bronze medal in men’s singles and a silver medal in the mixed team event.
In the years since, Srikanth has continued competing on the BWF World Tour while also mentoring younger Indian players, drawing on his experience as one of the most successful shuttlers of his generation. In 2025, he reached the final of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 event, finishing runner-up to Li Shifeng, and was also runner-up at the Syed Modi International Super 300 event, losing a close three-game final to Jason Gunawan. As of April 2026, his official career win-loss record in men’s singles stands at 336 wins and 207 losses, with a current world ranking of 30, down from his career peak of world number 1. He remains associated with the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, where he continues to be coached by Pullela Gopichand.
Records, Medals and Achievements
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Asian Junior Championships | Bronze, mixed team |
| 2011 | Commonwealth Youth Games | Bronze, men’s doubles; Silver, mixed doubles |
| 2016 | South Asian Games | Gold, men’s singles; Gold, men’s team |
| 2016 | Rio Olympics | 5th place, men’s singles (quarterfinalist) |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold, mixed team; Silver, men’s singles |
| 2021 | BWF World Championships | Silver, men’s singles (first Indian male shuttler to reach the final) |
| 2022 | Thomas Cup | Gold, men’s team (India’s first ever title, as captain) |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games | Bronze, men’s singles; Silver, mixed team |
Beyond these medals, Srikanth Kidambi holds several notable individual records and milestones. He was the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series Premier men’s singles title, achieved at the 2014 China Open by defeating Lin Dan. He became the first Indian male shuttler to reach the World No. 1 ranking since Prakash Padukone, in April 2018. Along with Sai Praneeth, he was part of the first ever Indian pair to reach the final of an international ranking event in badminton, at the 2017 Singapore Super Series. In 2017 alone, he won four Super Series titles, at the Indonesia Open, Australian Open, Denmark Open and French Open, becoming only the fourth player in history to achieve this in a single year. He has also received the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in 2018.
Career Finals Record
Srikanth Kidambi has reached the finals of numerous top level tournaments across the BWF World Tour, Super Series and Grand Prix Gold circuits over the course of his career.
BWF World Tour Finals (2018 to present)
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | India Open | Super 500 | Viktor Axelsen | Runner-up |
| 2025 | Malaysia Masters | Super 500 | Li Shifeng | Runner-up |
| 2025 | Syed Modi International | Super 300 | Jason Gunawan | Runner-up |
BWF Super Series Finals (2007 to 2017)
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | China Open | Lin Dan | Winner |
| 2015 | India Open | Viktor Axelsen | Winner |
| 2017 | Singapore Open | B. Sai Praneeth | Runner-up |
| 2017 | Indonesia Open | Kazumasa Sakai | Winner |
| 2017 | Australian Open | Chen Long | Winner |
| 2017 | Denmark Open | Lee Hyun-il | Winner |
| 2017 | French Open | Kenta Nishimoto | Winner |
BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold Finals (2007 to 2017)
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Thailand Open | Boonsak Ponsana | Winner |
| 2014 | India Grand Prix Gold | Xue Song | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Syed Modi International | Parupalli Kashyap | Runner-up |
| 2015 | Swiss Open | Viktor Axelsen | Winner |
| 2015 | Indonesian Masters | Tommy Sugiarto | Runner-up |
| 2016 | Syed Modi International | Huang Yuxiang | Winner |
BWF International Challenge Finals
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Maldives International | Zulfadli Zulkiffli | Winner |
Srikanth Kidambi Net Worth
Srikanth Kidambi’s net worth is not officially disclosed. Some media estimates place it at around 5 million US dollars, roughly equivalent to 46 crore rupees, as of 2026, built through a combination of his match earnings, prize money, brand endorsements, and appearances on social media. Since these figures are not confirmed directly by him, they should be treated as approximate estimates rather than verified numbers.
Social Media Profile
Srikanth Kidambi is active on Instagram under the verified handle @srikanth_kidambi, where he has built a following of around 178,000 people, sharing updates from his tournaments, training and personal life. He is also present on X, formerly Twitter, under the handle @srikidambi, where he has around 1 million followers. Fans should be cautious of unofficial fan accounts, such as fan pages using similar names, since the handles listed above are his confirmed official profiles.
Srikanth Kidambi wife & relationship
Srikanth Kidambi married celebrity stylist and film producer Shravya Varma on November 9, 2024, in Hyderabad, in a wedding attended by several Tollywood stars. You can read the full story of their relationship and more about Shravya Varma in our dedicated article on Srikanth Kidambi’s wife. Outside badminton, he is known to be an animal lover with a pet dog, and is generally considered a private person who prefers to keep most personal details away from the media.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Srikanth Kidambi?
Srikanth Kidambi was born on February 7, 1993, which makes him around 33 years old as of 2026.
What is Srikanth Kidambi’s height?
His height is generally reported to be between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches.
Who are Srikanth Kidambi’s parents?
His father, KVS Krishna, is a farmer and landowner, and his mother, Radha Kidambi, is a homemaker.
Does Srikanth Kidambi have siblings?
Yes, he has an elder brother, Nandagopal Kidambi, who is also a badminton player.
Where did Srikanth Kidambi study?
Detailed information about his schooling is not publicly documented, as he moved into full time residential badminton training from a young age.
What is Srikanth Kidambi’s current world ranking?
As of April 2026, his world ranking is 30, with a career win-loss record of 336 wins and 207 losses in men’s singles.
Is Srikanth Kidambi married?
Yes, he married celebrity stylist and producer Shravya Varma on November 9, 2024.
What is Srikanth Kidambi’s biggest achievement?
His biggest achievements include becoming the first Indian male to reach World No. 1 in badminton since Prakash Padukone, and winning a historic silver medal at the 2021 BWF World Championships.
Did Srikanth Kidambi win a medal at the Olympics?
No, he finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics after reaching the quarterfinals, and did not qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
What is Srikanth Kidambi’s net worth?
His net worth is not officially disclosed, with media estimates placing it at around 5 million US dollars, based on his match earnings and brand endorsements.
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