Nagarkurnool District, July 29 : Sabavat Babu Naik, an international athlete from Devula Thanda in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, has made the nation proud by securing a Gold Medal at the Indo–Indonesia Ball Badminton Test Series in Bali, Indonesia. Competing at the highest levels of international sport, Naik has emerged as a key figure in indigenous athletics, having also bagged an International Silver Medal at the Target Ball Federation Cup held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
In addition to his success as an athlete, Naik serves as the General Secretary of the Telangana Target Ball Association and holds the responsibility of Swaero Corps Commander for Telangana State. Through these roles, he works at the grassroots level to organize sports development programs, awareness campaigns, and training camps across the state to encourage youth participation in traditional Indian sports.
“Coming from a rural tribal area, I faced many hardships due to limited infrastructure, but hard work and discipline allowed me to represent India on the world stage,” Naik said. “My aim now is to mentor young athletes from humble backgrounds and prove that talent can emerge from any village when given the right opportunity.”
Born into a financially underprivileged family in a remote tribal region, Naik began playing Ball Badminton in 2012 while studying in the 7th standard. Overcoming severe resource constraints, he advanced through district and state championships to represent Telangana in national tournaments before securing his spot on the Indian national team.
Naik’s achievements have earned him felicitations from sports officials, public representatives, and prominent athletic figures across the country, including Indian Olympic Association President Dr. P. T. Usha and chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand. Moving forward, he aims to promote Ball Badminton and Target Ball across India while inspiring children from rural and tribal communities to pursue excellence in sports.
Keywords : Sabavat Babu Naik | Ball Badminton Gold Medal | Indo-Indonesia Test Series | Devula Thanda Nagarkurnool | Target Ball Telangana | Rural Tribal Athletes
About the Author
