India’s Pramod Bhagat continued his remarkable run in para badminton to claim a record sixth world title after winning the SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships on Saturday.
The 37-year-old defeated Indonesia’s Muhammad Al Imran 21-12, 21-18 in a commanding final to secure his fourth straight singles gold at the championships. The victory gave him a total of six world titles in the SL3 category, underscoring his continued dominance in the division.
The SL3 classification is intended for standing players with significant impairment of the lower limbs. Bhagat, who contracted polio at the age of five, has been a consistent force at the highest level, having previously won gold medals at the World Singles Championships in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2024.
With his latest triumph, Bhagat surpassed China’s five-time world fitness champion Lin Dan to become the most decorated singles champion in the history of world championships across formats.
The gold also marked a major comeback for the reigning Tokyo Paralympic champion. Bhagat served an 18-month suspension for violating the World Badminton Federation’s anti-doping whereabouts clause, a setback that ruled him out of the Paris Paralympics.
Since returning to competition in September, Bhagat has quickly returned to form, winning 10 gold medals in singles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles at tournaments held in China, Nigeria, Australia and Japan.
Saturday’s result cemented his status as one of India’s most successful para-athletes and a dominant figure in the SL3 category.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 14, 2026