India has become one of the leading badminton nations in the world, thanks to the hard work of their national team coach, Pullela Gopichand. Gopichand is a former Indian badminton player and is currently the head coach of both the Indian men’s and women’s national badminton teams. He is credited with making India a major badminton powerhouse and inspiring many young players to take up the sport.
Early Life and Career
Pullela Gopichand was born in 1973 in a small town in Andhra Pradesh, India. He started playing badminton at the age of 10 and quickly rose through the ranks of Indian badminton. He went on to become the National Champion in 1991 and followed it up with a gold medal in the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001. Gopichand was the first Indian to win the All England Championship, which is one of the most prestigious tournaments in badminton.
Gopichand retired from professional badminton in 2004 and opened the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad in 2008. The academy is one of the best in the world and has produced some of the top players in India, such as Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, H.S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth.
Gopichand’s Coaching Career
In 2009, Gopichand was appointed as the head coach of the Indian national badminton team. Since then, he has worked hard to make India a major badminton nation. Under his guidance, the Indian team has achieved some remarkable successes, such as winning the Uber Cup in 2016 and the Mixed Team Championship in 2017.
Apart from the national team, Gopichand has also coached several individuals to great heights. He has trained players such as Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, H.S. Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth, who have all gone on to become world-class players. He has also coached the Indian badminton team for the Olympics, where the team won a silver medal in 2016.
Gopichand’s Achievements
Pullela Gopichand has been recognized for his accomplishments in badminton. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, which is India’s third-highest civilian honor, in 2009. He was also awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honor, in 2009.
Gopichand has also been awarded the Dronacharya Award, which is given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of sports in India. He has also been awarded the Arjuna Award, which is given to outstanding sportspersons.
Conclusion
Pullela Gopichand is one of the most respected badminton coaches in the world. He has worked hard to make India a major badminton nation and has inspired many young players to take up the sport. Gopichand has also been recognized for his achievements and has been honored with several prestigious awards. His hard work and dedication have made him one of the most successful badminton coaches in India.