Indian badminton will receive a huge boost at the upcoming Paris Olympics with the legendary Prakash Padukone joining the 15-member squad as a mentor.
Wealth of Experienc with Prakash Padukone
Prakash Padukone, a household name in Indian badminton and the first Indian to win the prestigious All England Championship, will share his experience and guidance with the team. While he retired in 1991, before badminton’s Olympic debut in 1992, his presence will be invaluable to the young players.
Prakash Padukone’s special connection
This mentorship role holds particular significance for some team members. Double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu recently announced Prakash Padukone as her personal mentor and even relocated to Bengaluru to train under his watchful eye.
Debutant Lakshya Sen is another who will benefit greatly – he honed his skills at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA).
Paris Olympics: Indian Badminton coaching staff
Padukone is just one piece of the puzzle for Indian badminton’s Olympic quest. Pullela Gopichand, the national chief coach, will lead a team of accomplished coaches including RMV Gurusaidutt, Agus Santosa, Vimal Kumar, and Mathias Boe. Gopichand, who opted not to travel to the Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19 restrictions, will be on the ground in Paris this time around.
The support staff also includes physiotherapists Zeinia Samar and Kiran Challagundla as per PTI. Notably, Zeinia joined Sindhu’s camp after her move to Bengaluru, highlighting the personalized approach the team is taking.
India’s Paris Olympic hopes take flight
With a strong coaching team and the legendary Padukone offering his guidance, India’s badminton players head to Paris with high hopes. The groundwork has been laid, and now it’s up to the players to shine on the Olympic stage. The badminton competition gets underway on July 27th, following the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26th. The badminton competition concludes on August 5th.
