GUNTUR / KADAPA: Arigela Bhargav Ram and Gobburu Viswa Tej, both aged 17, have catapulted Indian badminton into the global spotlight by securing the No. 1 spot in the BWF Junior Boys Doubles rankings.

Bhargav hales from Guntur and Viswa Tej belongs to Railway Koduru in the erstwhile YSR Kadapa district. The duo has emerged as a dominant force in international junior badminton.

Bhargav’s journey started in Guntur, where his father, Rama Koteswara Rao, a professional photographer, noticed his sporting potential and encouraged him to pursue badminton seriously. Initially paired with another player in the Under-13 category, Bhargav found lasting synergy in 2018 with Viswa Tej during the National Championship, where they reached the finals. Since then, the pair has remained dominant, their on-court chemistry driving their meteoric rise.

Currently pursuing his Intermediate second year, Bhargav trains at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati under coaches Ivan Sozonov, Sanyam Shukla, and Sourabh Sharma. He has won 13 national and five international medals, including double gold in men’s and mixed doubles at the India Junior International Grand Prix 2024and the Yonex Sunrise International Junior Grand Prix 2023 inPune.

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