Thinaah Muralitharan

A prodigious badminton player, Thinaah Muralitharan has become a defining force in Malaysian women’s doubles alongside partner Pearly Tan. The duo, who have competed together since 2019, made history as the first Malaysian semi-finalists in the women’s doubles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics and reached a career-high World No 2 ranking in 2025.

Muralitharan and Tan claimed their first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title at the 2021 Swiss Open, defeating top-ranked opponents and announcing themselves on the international stage. In 2022, they became the first Malaysian women’s doubles pair to win the French Open, showcasing their growing dominance. That same year, they secured two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, triumphing in both the women’s doubles and mixed team events. Their consistent performances have established them as Malaysia’s top women’s doubles pair and among the world’s elite.

At the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Muralitharan and Tan secured a historic women’s doubles bronze medal. Reaching the semi-finals before falling to world No 1 pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, the duo ended Malaysia’s 12-year medal drought in the event—claiming the fourth women’s doubles medal in the nation’s Asian Games history.

Muralitharan’s badminton journey began at age six, inspired by watching her elder brother train in her hometown of Klang, and she turned professional at just seven. Fluent in Tamil, Malay, English and Mandarin, she learned Mandarin in six months to communicate effectively with teammates, reflecting her dedication both on and off the court.