Ashmita Chaliha, a badminton player from Assam, won the Korea Masters in Asan, South Korea, defeating China’s Han Qian Xi 14–21, 21–14, 21–14 in the final.

With this victory, she became the first Indian player to win a Badminton World Federation Super 300 tournament in South Korea, securing the biggest title of her career.

Key Highlights

• Ashmita Chaliha is a 26-year-old left-handed shuttler from Guwahati and currently trains at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
• She defeated the fourth-seeded Han Qian Xi of China in a closely contested 53-minute final after losing the opening game.
• Ashmita showed strong mental resilience and patience, recovering from the first-game setback and winning the next two games.
• Before the final, she defeated top seed Hina Akechi of Japan in the quarter-final.
• Ranked around World No. 50, the victory represents a major breakthrough in her international career.

About Ashmita Chaliha

• Ashmita Chaliha, born on 18 October 1999, is an Indian badminton player who was born and brought up in Guwahati, Assam.
• She began playing badminton at the age of seven and trained at the Assam Badminton Academy under Indonesian coach Edwin Iriawan and Indian coach Suranjan Bhobora.
• She was also coached by Pullela Gopichand while preparing for the Asian Games.
• Chaliha represented India at the 2017 World and Asian Junior Championships as part of the national junior team.
• She was selected for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.
• She won her first senior international title at the 2018 Dubai International Challenge, in the women’s singles event.
• At the 2019 South Asian Games, she won gold medals in both the women’s singles and team events

Exam Hook: Prelims

Consider the following statements regarding Ashmita Chaliha:

1. She became the first Indian to win the Badminton World Federation Super 300 Korea Masters.
2. She trains at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
3. She is a right-handed badminton player.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only.

One-Line Wrap

Ashmita Chaliha’s Korea Masters triumph marks a historic breakthrough for Indian badminton and highlights Assam’s growing contribution to India’s sporting success.