Ever wanted something so badly

you could see it, eyes shut?

I found badminton at 11. By 13 it was part of me — my happy place through some tough times.

Not a hobby, not a talent. An obsession. I could see myself under the bright lights of the world stage: the first Australian World No. 1. That's still what I see when I close my eyes at night.

Everyone had a reason it couldn't happen. Started too late. Wrong country. Not good enough. My own dad told me to quit. I told him to give me three months — and took it to another level.

The wins came — but the recognition, from selectors and academies, didn't.

So at 17, I left. Home, family, everything — gone. I moved to Kuala Lumpur on my own to turn pro. Just me, the work, and the challenges: 3-a-days, track sessions in 30-degree heat, 5am runs, bunking with six guys, brutal sparring.

My rookie season? Unranked to World No. 318. Top 16 at my first Oceania Champs. The first steps of a two-year run at the LA 2028 Olympics.

I'm not there yet — but I'm building, and not so quietly. Now I'm reaching out for people who believe what I believe: that a kid from Sydney, counted out from the start, can prove them wrong, break the status quo, and make it to the top.

— PUSHKAL, IN HIS OWN WORDS

A unique athlete in this sport.

After 20 years in badminton — seven in the pro game, and having taken a player to the Paris 2024 Olympics — I can say it with confidence:

Pushkal is a unique athlete in this sport.

I'm here for one reason: to modernise

badminton, so players like Pushkal can build independent, sustainable careers.

The hardest part of that is the start — and that's exactly where he is now.

What makes him unique? A strong personality, a real story, relentless drive, a hunger to learn, no fear of the online world. And it's translating: we've taken him from unranked to World No. 318 — stronger environments, better

players, experienced coaches, a program built around him.

The honest part: he was overlooked for most of his junior career — no national-team pathway, largely ignored by the academies.

He still delivered. The talent is real and barely tapped — under-trained for his age, no injuries, no miles on the body. At 19, that's rare. It's why I'm backing him.

— OLIVER SHEPHERD, THE BADMINTON AGENCY

Follow @pushkal.i on instagram to follow the journey! 🏸🌏🇦🇺