On 26 July 2026, teenage sensation Anahat Singh became the first Indian ever to win the World Junior Squash Championship — a historic milestone for Indian squash. For an NDA aspirant, sports is a dependable General-Knowledge area, and a "first-ever" achievement like this — plus the basics of squash and its governing bodies — is exactly the kind of factual, current content the exam favours.
The news in one frame
The essentials:
- What: Anahat Singh won the 2026 World Junior Squash Championship (girls' singles).
- Historic: the first Indian to be crowned junior world champion in squash.
- How: the top seed beat Egypt's challenger, ending years of Egyptian dominance.
- Significance: a landmark for Indian squash, especially ahead of squash's Olympic debut.
Who is Anahat Singh?
Start with the athlete. Anahat Singh, a teenage prodigy from New Delhi, is one of India's brightest young sporting talents. She turned professional young and has trained under India's squash great Saurav Ghosal. She has already:
- won multiple junior national and Asian junior titles,
- represented India at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, and
- now become the first Indian to win the World Junior Championship — surpassing Joshna Chinappa's earlier runner-up finish as India's best-ever showing at the junior worlds.
Her win is expected to popularise squash among Indian youth. This kind of sports GK is exactly what the NDA general-knowledge notes cover.
The sport of squash — basics
Know the sport itself — a favourite factual set:
- Squash is a racket sport played (singles or doubles) inside a four-walled court, using a small, hollow rubber ball and stringed rackets.
- Players take turns hitting the ball against the front wall; the ball may rebound off the side and back walls, and must stay above the "tin" and below the out-line.
- It demands speed, stamina, agility and quick reflexes — one of the most physically intense racket sports.
- The world governing body is the World Squash Federation (WSF); the professional tour is run by the PSA (Professional Squash Association).
These facts are the backbone of squash questions. These themes recur in the NDA daily current affairs.
Squash and the Olympics
An examinable, timely point:
- Squash has historically been left out of the Olympics despite repeated bids.
- It is now set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games — a big moment for the sport worldwide, and an added incentive for Indian players.
- India will hope its rising stars — led by youngsters like Anahat Singh — can contend for medals at that stage.
The revision hook: Anahat Singh = first Indian World Junior Squash champion (2026), from Delhi, trained by Saurav Ghosal; squash = four-walled court + hollow rubber ball; governed by the WSF (pro tour = PSA); squash debuts at the LA 2028 Olympics; India's stars = Saurav Ghosal, Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal.
India's squash journey
Place Anahat among India's squash achievers — a useful comparative set:
- Saurav Ghosal — India's most successful men's player; former World No. 10 and a multiple Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist.
- Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal — leading women's players; their women's doubles gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games was a landmark.
- India has won squash medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, and the country is now producing a strong junior pipeline (Anahat Singh, Shaurya Bawa and others).
So Anahat's title reflects the rise of Indian squash from individual stars to a deeper talent base.
Racket sports and their bodies — a quick reference
A little more depth the exam rewards — don't confuse the racket sports:
- Squash — four-walled court, hollow rubber ball; world body WSF, pro tour PSA.
- Badminton — net, shuttlecock; world body BWF (Thomas/Uber Cups); India's PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal.
- Tennis — net, felt ball; body ITF (Grand Slams: Australian, French, Wimbledon, US Open); India's Leander Paes, Sania Mirza.
- Table tennis — small indoor table; body ITTF; India's Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra.
Also worth knowing India's other national sports honours context: the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (highest), Arjuna (players) and Dronacharya (coaches) awards, and National Sports Day (29 August). Matching a sport to its governing body and stars — and separating squash (WSF) from badminton (BWF) — is exactly what sports-GK questions test.
Why it matters
For the SSB and the bigger picture:
- Inspiration: a young champion inspires youth participation in a less-mainstream sport.
- Broadening India's sport: success beyond cricket builds a diverse sporting culture.
- Discipline & grit: an athlete's rise embodies hard work and focus — qualities the SSB prizes.
Exam relevance in one paragraph
For NDA General Awareness, retain: Anahat Singh (a teenager from New Delhi, trained under Saurav Ghosal) became the first Indian ever to win the World Junior Squash Championship in 2026; squash is a racket sport played in a four-walled court with a small hollow rubber ball, governed globally by the World Squash Federation (WSF) with the professional tour run by the PSA; squash will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games; India's leading squash players include Saurav Ghosal (former World No. 10), Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, with medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. For the SSB, her achievement exemplifies determination and excellence in sport.
🎯 Practice MCQs
Q1. Anahat Singh is associated with which sport? (a) squash (b) badminton (c) tennis (d) table tennis → (a) — squash.
Q2. In 2026 Anahat Singh became the first Indian to win the: (a) World Junior Squash Championship (b) Wimbledon (c) Olympic gold (d) US Open → (a) — the World Junior Squash Championship.
Q3. Squash is played in a: (a) four-walled court (b) open field (c) swimming pool (d) on ice → (a) — an enclosed four-walled court.
Q4. The world governing body for squash is the: (a) World Squash Federation (WSF) (b) BWF (c) FIFA (d) ICC → (a) — the WSF.
Q5. The professional squash tour is run by the: (a) PSA (b) ATP (c) BCCI (d) NBA → (a) — the Professional Squash Association.
Q6. Squash will make its Olympic debut at: (a) Los Angeles 2028 (b) Paris 2024 (c) Tokyo 2020 (d) it is already an Olympic sport → (a) — LA 2028.
Q7. Anahat Singh trained under which Indian squash great? (a) Saurav Ghosal (b) Pullela Gopichand (c) Vishwanathan Anand (d) Prakash Padukone → (a) — Saurav Ghosal.
Q8. Squash is played with a: (a) small hollow rubber ball (b) shuttlecock (c) football (d) tennis ball only → (a) — a small hollow rubber ball.
Q9. Which Indian pair won women's doubles gold in squash at the 2014 Commonwealth Games? (a) Joshna Chinappa & Dipika Pallikal (b) Sania Mirza & Saina Nehwal (c) two badminton players (d) none → (a) — Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal.
Q10. Anahat Singh hails from: (a) New Delhi (b) Chennai (c) Mumbai (d) Kolkata → (a) — New Delhi.
Q11. Saurav Ghosal is best known as India's top ___ player. (a) men's squash (b) chess (c) hockey (d) shooting → (a) — men's squash.
Q12. Squash primarily tests an athlete's: (a) speed, stamina and agility (b) swimming ability (c) shooting accuracy (d) weightlifting → (a) — fitness, agility and reflexes.
Q13. Anahat's win ended the long dominance of which country in junior squash? (a) Egypt (b) England (c) Australia (d) the USA → (a) — Egypt.
Q14. Squash medals for India have come at the ___ Games. (a) Asian and Commonwealth (b) only Winter Olympics (c) none ever (d) only school games → (a) — Asian and Commonwealth Games.
Q15. A "first-ever" sporting achievement like Anahat's helps to: (a) popularise the sport among youth (b) lower participation (c) end the sport (d) raise ticket prices only → (a) — inspire more young players.
Q16. The world governing body for badminton (not squash) is the: (a) BWF (b) WSF (c) ITF (d) ITTF → (a) — the Badminton World Federation.
Q17. India's highest sporting honour is the: (a) Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (b) Arjuna Award (c) Dronacharya Award (d) Padma Shri → (a) — the Khel Ratna.
📋 How this gets asked (PYQ pattern)
Sports personalities are a reliable NDA GK set. The reliable framings are the athlete-and-sport link (Anahat = squash), "first-ever" achievements, governing bodies (WSF/PSA), and India's stars (Ghosal/Chinappa/Pallikal). A common trap links Anahat to badminton/tennis or forgets squash's Olympic debut (LA 2028). The fresh 2026 hook is her World Junior title — ideal for "which sport / which body / which first" items. We reference the pattern, not any exact past question.
Preparing for the NDA? Sports stars, tournaments and governing bodies are high-yield GK and good SSB talking points on discipline and excellence. Follow our daily NDA current affairs and train with serving-officer faculty in the upcoming Cavalier courses in Delhi.
✍️ Written by Maj Sunil Chopra — Co-founder & defence faculty at The Cavalier. Reviewed by the Cavalier Faculty Desk. The Cavalier, founded by ex-Army officers, has trained NDA/CDS/SSB aspirants since 2001 (Facebook · YouTube).
Source: PIB / Prime Minister's Office congratulatory message, 26 July 2026. Facts cross-verified with independent sources.