NAGPUR’S seasoned senior international shuttler Kiran V Makode delivered a scintillating performance with partner Poonam Tatwawadi from Bhopal at the Yonex-Sunrise 47th Indian Masters National Badminton Championships 2025, securing a silver medal in the 55+ Mixed Doubles category. The tournament concluded at the Peddem Multipurpose Sports Complex, Mapusa, Goa. Kiran’s incredible run at the nationals has earned him a spot in the Indian squad for the prestigious BWF World Senior Badminton Championships 2025, to be held in Thailand in September 2025. In a thrilling final, the unseeded duo of Makode and Tatwawadi put up a valiant fight but narrowly missed out on the gold medal as they fell to formidable pair of Lingeswara Rao (AP) and Suzzane Venglet (TN) in a three-game battle. Kiran and Poonam started strongly, winning the first game 21-16.

 

However, their opponents bounced back, taking the second game 21-18. The decider saw intense rallies, with both pairs tied at 5-5 in the early stages. Rao and Suzzane pulled ahead at 11-5 by the mid-game break, but Kiran’s sharp cross-court drives and Poonam’s razor-sharp serves helped them close the gap to 13-15. Despite their spirited comeback, they fell short, losing 17-21 in a gruelling 50-minute contest. Kiran and Poonam’s silver medal run included some major upsets and hard-fought victories. In the quarter-finals they stunned the top-seeded pair of Vibhor Swaroop and Shalini Yadav in a three-game thriller 21-13, 15-21, 21-18. In semi-finals, they overcame a stiff challenge from Kamalakar Rao and Saroj Sawant, winning in straight games 21-13, 21-19. Kiran will be representing India for the eighth time at the BWF World Senior Badminton Championships.

 

Previously he was selected for the World Championships held in Spain (2009), Turkey (2013), Sweden (2015), Kochi (2017), Poland (2019), Spain (2021), and Korea (2023) The Badminton World Federation (BWF) organises this prestigious event biennially, and Kiran’s repeated selection is a testament to his consistency and excellence on the court. Apart from his World Championship feats, Kiran has also represented India in the prestigious Foo Kok Keong Cup Team Championships in Singapore (2017), in Hong Kong (2018) and in Indonesia (2019). An elated Kiran expressed his heartfelt gratitude to UC Mallick (SDM, LICI Nagpur DO), Arun Lakhani (President, MBA), Shrikant Vad (Secretary, MBA), Mangesh Kashikar (Sr VP, MBA and Secretary, NDBA), Kundatai Vijayakar (President NDBA), Rajani Kumari (Manager, Legal LICI ), and the entire team of LICI Sports and Recreation Club, Nagpur for their unwavering support and motivation.