Bringing laurels to the Steel City, young badminton talent Vishakha Toppo, daughter of Mrs. Jayashree Toppo and Mr. Charo Toppo, Junior Engineer (Oxygen Plant) of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), has been selected to represent Team India in the prestigious Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Junior Championship 2025.
The championship is scheduled to be held from 6th to 19th October, 2025 at Guwahati, where Vishakha will compete in the Mixed Doubles category partnering with Bhavya Chhabra. Her inclusion in the 25-member strong Indian contingent announced by the Badminton Association of India has filled Rourkela with pride and joy.
A consistent performer, Vishakha has already carved a niche for herself in the national badminton circuit. She clinched the Gold Medal in the Girl’s Team Event at the Yonex-Sunrise 47th Inter-State, Inter-Zonal & Junior National Badminton Championship 2024, along with a Gold Medal in Mixed Doubles at the Junior National Badminton Championship 2024. Earlier, in 2023, she won the Girl’s Doubles (U-17) at the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub-Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament, Lucknow, besides finishing Runner-up in Mixed Doubles (U-17).
An alumnus of Ispat English Medium School, Sector-20, Vishakha’s Badminton journey started from the Badminton turfs facility in the Indoor Stadium, Sector-20 of RSP. The budding talent aspires to bring an Olympic medal for the country.
