Sindhu supports 'efforts' to tackle monkey menace at World Championship venue
New Delhi, Aug 11
With the organising committee for the upcoming BWF World Championship 2026 set to employ people to tackle monkey menace in and around the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Complex in New Delhi, former champion and India's top hope PV Sindhu has come out in support of the move.
With reports surfacing on social media that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) will employ "monkey whisperers" to handle rogue monkeys that have disrupted matches and terrorised players in the past, the matter has attracted ridicule across social media.
Monkeys had disrupted the India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi last year, gatecrashing the designated training area for the players. With the BWF World Championships 2026 set to start next week, the BAI has decided not to take chances and has employed people to tackle the simian menace.
But Sindhu has praised the organising committee for their "efforts" to tackle the problem and praised the people working behind the scenes.
"You can laugh at the solution, but you have to love the effort. So many people are working behind the scenes to make sure India is ready to welcome the world. Our solutions may be uniquely Indian, but so are our warmth, our spirit and our hospitality.
"Can't wait for the badminton world to experience it all in Delhi. See you soon!" Sindhu wrote in a social media post.
With the BWF World Championship 2026 fast approaching, the BAI has employed three "experts" to imitate langur calls at the Indira Gandhi Stadium to keep away the troublesome rhesus macaques from the venue. Rhesus macaques are terrified of langurs and usually flee areas where langurs are present.
For years, langurs have been employed to deter monkeys from important official installations and central government offices in New Delhi.
The BWF World Championship 2026 will be held in New Delhi from August 17 to 23 with the World's top players in the fray. The BAI has faced severe criticism over various issues in organising the event,
— IANS
Reader Comments
I was at the India Open last year when those monkeys literally stole a player's water bottle during practice. It was hilarious and frustrating at the same time! So glad BAI is taking this seriously now. Sindhu's right, we shouldn't mock the solution – Delhi's monkey problem is real and langur calls are a proven traditional method.
I appreciate the effort, but can we also address the bigger issues? The stadium infrastructure, shuttlecock quality, player facilities... BAI has been called out for so many things. Monkey whisperers are a quirky solution but let's not use this to distract from the real problems that need fixing before such a big tournament.
People outside India think this is funny, but they don't understand Delhi's monkey situation. These rhesus macaques are bold – they've snatched food from ministers' offices! Langur calls are a traditional, non-violent solution. I'm actually proud that we're using indigenous knowledge instead of harming animals. Sindhu's post captures the Indian spirit perfectly! 🇮🇳🏸
"Solutions may be uniquely Indian" – that's a lovely way to put it. But let's be real, if this fails during a live match, the world will laugh harder. I hope BAI has a backup plan. Still, good on Sindhu for supporting the organisers. We need positivity around Indian sports events, not constant trolling.
This is so typical Delhi – monkeys in government offices, monkeys at airports, now monkeys at a world championship! But at least we're finding solutions. The langur method is
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