India’s para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat won the men’s SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships 2026, marking his fourth consecutive singles gold and a record sixth overall world title in the SL3 category. The event was held in Manama, Bahrain.
Historic Victory
Bhagat defeated Muhammad Al Imran (Indonesia) 21-12, 21-18 in the final to clinch the men’s singles SL3 gold.
This triumph was his fourth straight world title and sixth overall in SL3 singles — spanning victories in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2024, and 2026.
He surpassed Lin Dan (China), who has five world championship singles titles in able-bodied badminton, becoming the most decorated singles champion in world championship history across badminton formats.
SL3 Classification: The SL3 category in para-badminton is for standing players with significant lower-limb impairment, where athletes compete on a modified half-court.
Redemption and Comeback: Bhagat, who contracted polio at age five, faced an 18-month suspension for anti-doping whereabouts failures, which caused him to miss the 2024 Paris Paralympics. After returning to competition, he regained form and dominated the world championships again.
Additional Achievements: In the same championships, Bhagat also secured gold in the men’s doubles SL3-SL4 category with partner Sukant Kadam, showcasing India’s growing strength in para-badminton.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
