BWF World Championships: PV Sindhu cites Wimbledon’s Hawk to defend monkey-control plan

Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has backed the deployment of mimicry artists at the upcoming BWF World Championships 2026 to keep the monkeys away. The tournament, set to be played from August 17-23 at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, has taken the unique measure of using artists to mimic the langur voices to keep the monkeys away from fans and the venue. The move has been laughed out at but Sindhu has come in support of it.

What Sindhu said about mimicry artists to keep monkeys away at BWF World Championships?

Sindhu, in reply to a social media posts, agreed '100%' with the unique method used by the tournament organizers to stop the money menace. The move came after the monkeys disrupted India Open in January earlier this year at the same venue.

"I genuinely don’t understand the outrage. We all love Wimbledon, and they’ve had Rufus the hawk keeping pigeons away for years. Every major sporting event has its own local challenges. This is just one additional measure on top of the countless measures already being taken. Somehow that becomes the talking point. Can’t wait for the world to experience Indian hospitality. I’m 100% sure we’re going to deliver a world-class World Championships," she wrote in the post.

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India had done the same during 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi when red langurs where deployed to keep the monkeys away. The use of acutal animals, however, was banned in 2012 under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Indian hopes at BWF World Championships

Hosting the tournament after 17 years, India would be hoping to win big and take full advantage of home court at the upcoming BWF World Championships. PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and Lakshya Sen lead the Indian contingent with Ayush Shetty set to face top seed Shi Yu Qi from China in the men's singles first round.