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“Looking back, I am happy with what I have achieved. Given the circumstances, I don’t feel that I have left anything untried.” – Pullela Gopichand. 

India’s background in badminton has witnessed a slow but steadily rising curve. In the last few decades, some promising badminton players, both men, and women have taken to the international nets. Pullela Gopichand is India’s most well-known badminton star, who has helped India gain an international reputation for showcasing pure skill and talent in badminton. Gopichand has represented India at the Olympics and a large number of international events and has now taken on the role of coaching and mentoring young India to achieve greater heights. 

Gopichand’s Background

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Born in Andhra Pradesh, it is a little-known fact that Gopichand actually wanted to play cricket but was encouraged to take up badminton. While at university, in 1990 and 1991, he represented A.V. College, Hyderabad as the captain of the badminton team. Soon after, Gopichand was accepted into Prakash Padukone’s badminton academy and has also been known to train under Ganguly Prasad at SAI Bangalore. 

Badminton Triumphs 

• 1996

• • Gopichand pulled himself into the limelight with the first of his many National Badminton Championship titles, which he subsequently won every year, for five times, until 2000. 
  • He won the gold medal at the SAARC tournament.

• 1997

• • He continued to defend the gold medal at the SAARC tournament in Colombo.
  • Runner-up in the men’s singles category at the India Open of the IBF World Grand Prix. 

• 1998

• • Gopichand won two gold medals and one silver medal at the National Games, held in Imphal.
  • At the Commonwealth Games, he won a silver medal for his representation at the team event and bronze for the men’s singles. 

• 1999

• • Winner of the Toulouse open championship and the Scottish open championship.
  • Winner of the Asian satellite tournament. 
  • Runner-up in the men’s singles category at the German Open and the French Open of the IBF World Grand Prix. 

• 2000

• • Bronze medalist in the men’s singles at the Asian Championship. 

• 2001

• • Winner of the All England Open Badminton Championships (the second Indian to receive this honour after Prakash Padukone, who won the title in 1980).

• Gopichand has also represented India thrice at the Thomas Cup. 
• He has been honored with awards such as the Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Dronacharya Award, to name a few. 

Coaching Career 

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From playing badminton to teaching badminton to the younger generations, Gopichand has transitioned smoothly into ensuring India’s international representation at badminton leagues remains untarnished. Gopichand’s journey as a player has been extremely enriching, and now he has combined all that experience with mentoring to impart it as knowledge and training to budding badminton players and make a strong presence felt to encourage badminton in India. 

From badminton player to badminton coach, Gopichand has always been greedy about coaching and mentoring young children to play badminton professionally. As the founder of the Gopichand Badminton Academy in 2008, he is responsible for producing some of India’s best badminton talent, including Saina Nehwal, Gurusai Datt, P. V. Sindhu, Parupalli Kashyap, Arun Vishnu, Sai Praneeth, Arundhati Pantawane, and Srikanth Kidambiand. His academy has also seen some notable investments being made, truly marking the spurt and promise of the students that emerge from there. Gopichand’s students have represented India and won at events like the Olympics and BWF World Championships. Gopichand has also officially served as the Indian badminton team’s coach at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.  

Affiliation with the Sports School 

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At the Sports School Badminton Academy, we are excited to be associated with Pullela Gopichand. As the chief mentor and badminton coach, Gopichand has a world of wisdom and technique to offer students looking to excel and pursue badminton professionally. Besides, Gopichand will also be conducting exclusive badminton camps from time to time in association with The Sports School Badminton Academy. 

Gopichand, along with a team of skilled instructors and trainers, will be helping students learn techniques, fitness, mental and physical agility, flexibility, and hone their badminton skills. With an aim to provide the best training in the country, we have teamed up with one of the finest badminton players, now a badminton coach, to help your children succeed and make a name for themselves. 

Get in touch with the Sports School Badminton Academy today to find out more about how your child can excel at becoming a skilled badminton player under the guidance of India’s national gem, Pullela Gopichand.  

https://thesportsschool.com/badminton/

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Badminton started gaining prominence as a lucrative sport in the nation only after Pullela Gopichand claimed the All England Championship in 2001. Badminton training schools in India offer advanced instruction for students and amateur athletes to master an array of different sports disciplines underneath the full supervision of experienced coaches.  Several badminton academies in India have emerged as leaders and pioneers in the field, training youngsters from early on in their life to develop their knack for badminton. Even though India scales new milestones in sports every day, badminton is and has been prominent as a medium of competition. We’re seeing the increasing number of wins that Indian players have delivered and brought accolades for the country in the recent past. Thus, we list the Top 10 Badminton Academies in India that can be beneficial for any youngster looking to hone their skill from early in their lives.

1.  The Sports School Badminton Academy-
   

   The Sports School is the nation’s very first comprehensive academy for athletics and academics, offering emerging and talented athletes a forum to achieve an athletic environment. With international equipment and instructions from expert instructors and globally renowned advisors, this badminton academy is a must-visit. The Sports School Badminton Academy with technical partners Badminton Gurukul and Padma Bhushan Pullela Gopichand as Chief Mentor strives to provide the best training methods to our students to groom their willingness to play the sport and turn it into a full-fledged profession.

    

2.  United Shuttlers Badminton Academy-

   The United Shuttlers Badminton Academy began in 2011 with famous badminton athletes Ajay Kanwar and Manjusha Kanwar. The pair set up an institution in the eastern part of Delhi. It might be the only institution in Northern India to be associated with the Pullela Gopichand College in Hyderabad.

    

3.  M.V. Bisht Academy-

   The M.V. Bisht Academy began with a successful badminton athlete, Madhumita Bisht. She had been a championship winner who held the country famous by earning a bronze medal at the Asia Cup in New Delhi. Madhumita was one of the core community mentors who trained the 2016 London Olympic Games Indian Badminton Squad. Her husband, Vikram Bisht, had been a bronze medalist at the Badminton Asian Games in the year 1982 as well.

4.   Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy-

   PGBA (Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy) is a renowned Badminton athletics facility center based in Hyderabad. It was established in the year 2001 for the All England Open Badminton Winner, Pullela Gopichand. P.V. Sindhu, who won the Olympic silver at the Olympic Games in Rio, has been educated there. The institution has developed a host of leading badminton athletes, such as Saina Nehwal too.

    

5.   Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy-

   PPBA (Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy) has been founded in 1994 with famous badminton professionals Prakash Padukone, Vishal Sharma, and Vijaya Krishna. It is amongst the most popular Badminton training centers across the country.  PPBA interacts through Morton Frost at the Stockholm Badminton School – Poland and Badminton Europe.

6.   Surjit Singh Badminton Academy-

   Surjit Singh Badminton College was established by Surjit Singh, who worked as a national coach at the Indian Sports Authority throughout 2005, . That Institution has developed a variety of regional and global athletes.

    

7.   SAI’s Badminton Training Centre-

   A Badminton Training Program of SAI has been opened by the Indian Sports Authority since 1982. This same sports education Center has been working under the Department of Recreation, Govt. Of India.  There are 10 court systems in the learning center. The chosen interns are to be equipped for docking and accommodation facilities by that of the SAI Training Facility.

8.   Ardor Badminton Academy (ABA)-

   Ardor Badminton Institute is indeed an Indian school founded by Arun Khurana, a retired badminton instructor. Arun has served in the Sports Section of the Education Department, Government of Delhi.  The School has had on national consultants and includes 4 indoor badminton courts. This academy is based in Rohini in Delhi. It involves learning extensively and specializes in developing skilled athletes.

9.   The Bhaskar Babu Li Ning Academy, Hyderabad-

   Based in Hyderabad, is one of the state’s most favourite badminton academies. Bhaskar Babu is one of the most successful coaches out of SAI, associated with this sport from its early days of being an organized show in the country.

    

10.   Chetan Anand Badminton Academy, Hyderabad-

    Founded by Chetan Anand, has produced op-level athletes throughout its inception. Chetan Anand is a renowned International badminton player, Arjuna awardee, common wealth medalist and four time national champion.

If you’ve been looking for a starter, moderate or professional level education in Badminton, India’s Badminton Colleges meet all those specifications to the absolute. If you want your kid to develop their badminton skills, the above-mentioned badminton training centres and academies will be the topmost choice for them to choose from. 

By letting one’s kid train at any of these best badminton academy in India from early in their lives they will develop a better chance to excel at the sport and even represent the nation at several global stages.

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The current state of Badminton in India is nothing short of excellent. The massive changes in the Indian Badminton since the rise of the players in singles and doubles, who have been gaining the spotlight on the international platform is commendable. With the success of shutters like PV Sindhu, Saina, and Kidambi, the whole country is developing an interest in Badminton. At present, it is the second most played sport in India after Cricket. 

Badminton is one of the most useful, safe, accessible, and active sports. It provides a lot of advantages that make it a suitable sport for kids and adults as well. Intensive movement around the playground helps keep the body in great shape, as Badminton is among the three most energy-intensive game sports and is considered one of the fastest in the world. If it is of interest to kids, they can take professional assistance and form a viable career as a badminton player or coach. 

The Sports School Badminton Academy with Chief Mentor Pullela Gopichand strives to provide the best and unique training facilities and methods to our students to groom their willingness to play the sport into a full-fledged profession. We offer custom made Badminton programs for our young Badminton enthusiasts and scale it as per the students’ capability. 

Our belief in providing the best training facilities and training methods to our students has led us to have different programs for talents at different levels. We have classes at the beginners, intermediate & advanced level that include strength building, conditioning, and rest & recovery methods. Our curriculum is a development-based progression that depends on young badminton enthusiasts mastering new skills before advancing to the next level.  

Specific details of the programs are mentioned below: 

Basic (Age group: 6 to 10 Years): 

Training includes:

• Hand-Eye Coordination
• Holding Racket
• Rally
• Physical Fitness
• Half Court Games

Intermediate (Age group: 10 to 12 Years)

Training includes:

• Discipline
• Basic Techniques
• Services
• Movement on Court
• Concentration

Advanced (Age group: 12+ Years)

Training includes:

• Agility and Strength
• Specialized Training
• Stroke Improvement
• Routines
• Matches

Professional (Age group: 15+ Years)

Training includes:

• Focused Training
• Speed & Stamina
• Advanced Skills
• Mental Conditioning
• Competitions

To ensure the best possible training for our students, we have Pullela Gopichand on-board as our chief mentor. 

Pullela Gopichand is a former Indian Badminton player who, at present, is the Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team. He won his first National Badminton Championship title in 1996 and went on to win the title five times in a row. He also won two gold and one silver at the Indian national games, 1998. He has also trained several badminton prominent Indian badminton players, including Saina Nehwal, P. V. Sindhu, Sai Praneeth, Parupalli Kashyap, Srikanth Kidambi, Arundhati Pantawane, etc.

Badminton is a dynamic, energetic, and intellectual sport. Not only it helps the child to grow up, develop, and become stronger, but with the right training, your child can train to be fit and eventually build a career in this growing sport. The Sports School Badminton Academy with Chief Mentor Pullela Gopichand enables elite training and allows children to fully explore their potential in the sport of Badminton. 

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