India Shines at Odisha Masters as Unnati Hooda and Kiran George Clinch Titles

Odisha Masters 2025: Singles Glory for India, Doubles Honours Split

India delivered an impressive performance at the Odisha Masters in Cuttack, with Unnati Hooda and Kiran George emerging champions in the women’s and men’s singles categories respectively. The BWF Super 100 tournament showcased India’s growing strength in singles badminton, alongside strong competition from international players in the doubles events.

Unnati Hooda’s Commanding Women’s Singles Win
Top seed Unnati Hooda secured the women’s singles title with a confident straight-games victory over Isharani Baruah. Winning 21–17, 21–10, Hooda maintained composure throughout the final, steadily taking control after a closely fought opening phase. Her sharp shot selection and ability to exploit unforced errors proved decisive, particularly in the second game where she dominated proceedings.

A Milestone Title for Hooda
This victory marked Hooda’s third BWF Super 100 title , reaffirming her consistency at this level. The Odisha Masters crown was her lone title of the season but came after several notable performances, including semifinal appearances at the Taipei Open and Hylo Open. Earlier in the year, she made headlines at the China Open by defeating PV Sindhu, becoming the youngest Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals of a Super 1000 event.

Kiran George Triumphs in Men’s Singles
In the men’s singles final, second seed Kiran George overcame Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf in a gripping three-game contest. George won 21–14, 13–21, 21–16, showing resilience after dropping the second game. His aggressive play and improved consistency in the decider helped him seal the title after just over an hour of play.

Doubles Events See International Winners
The doubles categories were dominated by overseas players. Indonesia claimed both the mixed and men’s doubles titles, while Bulgaria’s Stoeva sisters lifted the women’s doubles trophy with a straight-games win.

Exam-Focused Points

• Odisha Masters is part of the BWF Super 100 series.

• Unnati Hooda has won three BWF Super 100 titles .

• Kiran George competes regularly on the BWF international circuit .

• The tournament was held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Cuttack .