April 14 (Reuters) - Ayush ⁠Shetty’s silver medal at the 2026 Asia Championships has given Indian badminton a ⁠new men’s singles contender as the country begins to shape its plans for ‌the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In a cricket-dominated nation, badminton’s rise has largely been driven by women. Saina Nehwal’s bronze medal at the London Olympics, followed by Pusarla Sindhu’s back‑to‑back silver and bronze medals at Rio and Tokyo ​pushed the sport into the mainstream.