Latest news with #Gopichand
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Shuttlecock prices spiral and stocks drop in India as China's tastes shift from fowl to pork
A badminton coach running a mid-sized academy in Bengaluru has just booked a consignment of reasonably high quality feather shuttlecocks, the AS-2, at `2,700 per 12-piece tube. By the end of the year, he expects prices for the premier shuttles of the top brand to hit Rs 3,000, though 2024 had ended with the same shuttles costing Rs 1,200. Word trickling out from China, and reported by the French media, attributes this price rise to a change in the Chinese palate — they are increasingly preferring pork to the age-old staple, duck meat. This alteration, it is said, means fewer ducks are being raised, resulting in a shortage of feathers to make badminton shuttles. India national coach Pullela Gopichand says the issue is broader than just the immediate price rise, even existential. 'The dependency on goose feathers, which we have, is a problem we need to address as a sport. The growth of the sport across three populous nations, India, China and Indonesia, has ensured that there is demand for raw material of goose feathers, which has gone up a lot. We need to find alternatives for it,' he said. While researchers have long been looking for alternatives, the aerodynamics of feather shuttles make them unique and problematic at the same time. 'We were hoping that the (feather) cloning mechanism could help or other material could help, but definitely it's an issue that needs to be addressed by the federation or other badminton lovers,' said Gopichand. Duck feathers are used to make relatively cheaper shuttles. Geese feathers are reserved for the elite ones because of their stronger stem, durability and lack of wobble. China's cost-efficient factories harvest these feathers after the meat is consumed. But birds only reared for meat are unlikely to be reared exclusively for feathers. The prices of imported shuttlecocks have steadily escalated over the last 16 months. The last stocks in Bengaluru came in for Rs 2,250, but a breach of the Rs 3,000-mark seems imminent. The last two-three months have been particularly brutal on academies across the country. 'It's been substantial in the last two-three months. It kept rising 10, 20 percent, and is now 50 per cent,' says Aravind Samiappan, coach at the Chennai Fireball academy where Sankar Muthusamy Subramaniam trains. The shuttle costs, he says, were equal to the salaries of all coaches last month. 'These are middle-level shuttles, and we were buying for about Rs 1,200, but it sharply went up to Rs 1,700, and for no reason. On top of that, they keep changing prices. I told them, just quote me an amount, I was ready to pay more. But even stocks are scarce,' he says, lamenting the suddenly rising running costs and uncertainty. French newspaper L'Equipe recently reported on how a growing preference for pork (and red meat) in China, was leading to fewer ducks and geese being farmed in poultries. Thailand, Malaysia are other duck-consuming nations, but Chinese cost-efficiency and availability of ducks led to a near-monopoly of production. Almost 90 percent of the factories of the top companies, Yonex and Li Ning, are based in China. 'I am not entirely convinced about the reason that all Chinese have suddenly stopped eating ducks, quite a delicious staple there,' laughs a Bengaluru coach. 'But let's just say, you can't fault the Chinese for hoarding the shuttle stocks for their own centres first, if the raw material is indeed in shortage.' Upfront immediate payments by the Chinese also mean they are prioritised by manufacturers, rather than delayed invoices from exports. At the Ajit Wijettilek School of Badminton in Bengaluru, the rising shuttle prices are threatening to increase academy costs exponentially, and the coach calls the situation a 'mighty headache'. While the numbers of youngsters picking the sport is through the roof (routinely above 1,000 entries for junior meets), the shuttle costs are the latest curveball thrown the sport's way. A recent under-17 meet had 1,650 entries, while junior nationals routinely attract a number in the range of 4,000. The mid-sized academy, which trains 32 shuttlers, needs four tubes at a go, at a minimum, and though they have been sourcing it from Lingmei, one of the third-rung Chinese shuttle makers, they have been hit equally hard as the academies sourcing Yonex or Li Ning products. 'We are all gone if this continues,' rues Prashanth, who runs a dealership in Karnataka. 'Prices have increased by Rs 500, 600 in one go, and extra monthly costs are around Rs 50,000. In the last year and half, the price has increased ninefold. Even if we want, there's no stock.' AS-2s are the most basic among high-end shuttles. The best feathers, used at international meets, are tagged AS-30, 40 and 50. ACPTR shuttles are used in academies. 'It is going to affect badminton big time. Even the middle class won't be able to afford it,' says Mumbai coach Uday Pawar, where Chirag Shetty started. 'It will be impossible for organisers to hold junior tournaments that go on for 9 days, with 5 days of qualifying.' A 12 per cent GST gets imposed on all imported shuttles, which is substantial given the increased cost price. Pawar reckons there's little to be achieved by figuring out just what is going on in China. 'The most we can do is request our own government to reduce import duties and subsidize shuttles for us. The raw material shortage is a problem for the whole world, but India can at best not make it impossible for Indians to play by persisting with duties,' he says. 'Before the sport goes out of everyone's reach…'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Indian shuttlers haven't lived up to their potential: Gopichand
Nagpur: Legendary badminton coach Pullela Gopichand minced no words while assessing the current state of Indian badminton, stating that most players have not yet fulfilled their true potential. Speaking at a talk organised under the Orange City Literature Festival by Raisoni Foundation, Gopichand called out a culture of complacency and over-celebration that he believes is hurting long-term performance. Gopi Chand, who is a Dronacharya awardee, said, "You might be World No.1, you might stay there for years, but if you don't live up to your full potential, you've still failed." The coach also emphasised that real success lies in sustained excellence — not just a few wins. "Look at Lee Chong Wei — 11 consecutive Malaysian Open titles. That's dominance. That's what I call good performance. We must chase performance, not just medals," he said, adding that Indian shuttlers often 'over-celebrate average wins' and lose consistency as a result. The former shuttler, who has the prestigious All England Open title under his belt, added that the system often focuses only on the top five players, while ignoring the next 40 who also need mentoring. "Every coach wants to train the top five, who seem likely to win championships. But the rest are often left behind. That's not how it should work," he said. Gopichand also believes the country has only scratched the surface of its true badminton capability. "In 1994, we didn't even qualify for the Commonwealth Games. Now we've won the Thomas Cup. But there's so much more we can do. If India isn't on top, we must blame ourselves and this impotent system." He stressed that while every athlete wants to win, sport is inherently brutal. "Only one can be No.1. That doesn't make the others losers. The expectations we place on athletes are unrealistic. We must begin celebrating the effort, not just the outcome." Reflecting on his coaching philosophy, Gopichand said he tailors his approach to the needs of his students. "What works for them is what I'll follow. Many coaches never switch out of player mode — but coaching is about adapting." He also reminded young athletes not to be too harsh on themselves. "Don't cry after every loss. Learn from it. It's a sport. The nature of competition is tough." Recalling the early struggles, he said, "My coach Hamid Hussain never taught me technique — he just taught me to love the sport. That's what mattered. We weren't poor, but we didn't have a rupee to spare. Still, I never saw it as a sacrifice — it was always love for the game." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
‘Train differently, reinvent yourself to get consistent results'
Nagpur: Central India's first professional badminton training facility, following the model of India's most successful Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, was inaugurated by none other than the former All England Champion himself on Thursday. Chief national badminton coach Gopichand was in the city to inaugurate the academy set up by his students, Arundhati Pantawane and SR Arun Vishnu. The inaugural function of the Arundhati Arun Badminton Academy (AABA) at Besa was a reunion and an emotional moment for the trio of Indian stars. In his address to the audience, Gopichand urged parents to be sympathetic towards their kids if they fail. He said, "For all of us, it's very important to realise that in sport, winning and losing is normal. Parents have to understand this more than the students. Players should think, 'I have to win at all costs'. The parents should be sympathetic, should behave like fans, and say it's okay to lose." He added, "Your dharma as an athlete is to try your best. Your dharma as a coach is to give your best. Your dharma as a parent is to support them the best." Sharing his success mantra, he said, "When people with the right effort, mindset, and body come to the right teacher, then the magic happens. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Are you ready to conquer a planet? Undo If it comes to you and the magic doesn't happen, then you have to curse yourself as a coach because you've not done your due as an athlete. If you have the ability to become the best in the world and you are a national champion, you have to be very critical of yourself because you had the potential and you couldn't achieve what you could." Gopichand was full of praise for his students, who are following in his footsteps. He said, "After their first innings as successful players, they started their second innings as a coach, and today they made me achieve my third innings as a mentor to coaches. I am so happy that Arun and Arundhati have started this entire process." Later, speaking to the media about the performance of Nagpur's Malvika Bansod and what the next generation of Indian shuttlers should do for consistent results, Gopichand said, "I would not like to take names, but I think realistically we have about 6-7 players in the top 20 of the world. We have expectations from them. I do believe that every player should play international tournaments, and to get consistent results, these youngsters need to reinvent themselves in every tournament, and I think that is where the real challenge lies. " He explained, "When you win some good matches, upset higher-ranked players, then your opponent will take you seriously, start preparing for you, start respecting you. When this happens, then it's your turn to train differently. If you do this, then you will start getting consistent results." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Badminton: How Satwik-Chirag's success is bringing about a ‘tall' revolution in Indian men's doubles
Back in 2018, national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand had scouted for tall players to make an impact in the men's doubles category. The success enjoyed by the towering pairing of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has since convinced the top coaching brass that this was the way to go in the modern game. The long-term plan seems to have provided the desired result with three of that batch – all from Gopichand's Noida academy and now training at National Centre, Guwahati – becoming part of the Indian squad for the U19 Asian Junior Championship starting at Solo, Indonesia on Friday. Bhavya Chhabra is a towering 6-foot-3 from Vaishali in Ghaziabad, and spent most of June working on his agility under the strength and conditioning (S&C) programme at Reliance Foundations's Mumbai facility to improve his bends and squats low at the net. He is among a bunch of 8-10 tall youngsters, scouted seven years ago at the Noida facility. Chhabra and the other tall shuttlers in his batch have been encouraged to follow the template set by former World No.1 Shetty who, while being upwards of 6 feet, has a world-class net-game and has evolved into a versatile player. Chhabra's partner Param Choudhary, also from Ghaziabad and north of 6 feet, has styled his game on Rankireddy's, whose deceptive drops and low lifts cheekily feign a smash. The third in this tall group is C Lalramsanga, a Mizoram talent selected for mixed doubles. He is also training to master front-court skills, while Saharanpur shuttler Divyam Arora, who pairs with Arsh Mohammad, is 189 cm (6'1 1/2') and recently recorded a monster 63 cm jump at the Reliance facility, comparable to what the best Malaysians, known for their leaps. With Shetty as his idol, Arora is bursting his lungs, imbibing the creativity and agility needed to occupy the front court. They were all scouted out by Gopichand and his former lieutenant Mohd Siyadatullah, and are now trained at the National Centre in Guwahati by Russian 2016 All England doubles champion Ivan Sozonov, who understands a fair bit about tall agility and the European style of play, and can guide them to the next level. When the Noida academy was turned into an isolation centre in Covid times, the shuttlers moved to Hyderabad where many pairings were rejigged and new combinations tried out, which means that now there's a crop of carefully-curated tall doubles shuttlers. Shetty's game encouraged them to be versatile and step forward for the net role. So, they all boast of a big smash, but can also handle eyeball confrontations of fast drives at the net. Gopichand explains the thinking from back when they were in the 10-11 year range. 'Obviously, you don't know how tall they will shoot up. But they hit hard because they are tall, and the power element can't be stressed enough in international badminton. Stroke-wise for the net game in the front court, we stressed they should learn all skills early. Strength and speed can be worked on. Satwik and Chirag were massive role models for them,' he says, adding that a further 8-10 tall shuttlers are developing in Guwahati and Hyderabad. While Chirag Shetty, marginally taller than Satwiksairaj Reddy but taller than 6 feet, was encouraged to play in the front court a decade ago by Malaysian coach Tab Kim Her, it wasn't simply about standing a couple of steps ahead of his partner. He might have had the natural speed which helps him with the lightning quick interceptions at the net, but developing a natural front-court style needed a lot of work. It helped that Mathias Boe, his subsequent coach, had been a tall Danish Olympic finalist himself, and guided him through the basics of bending, absorbing the attack on the fast drives and the basic return of serve as he squatted and took the shuttle at eye level. This required a lot of agility drills and also managing his lower-back niggles, besides the mental adjustment of curbing his instinct of naturally drifting to the back court in a rally, and assuming an attacking position for leaping smashes. It was no less than a sacrifice for the Mumbaikar, and eventually led even Satwik to inculcate front-court skills to complete the champion pair. However, this is a miniscule number given India's size, and the national coach reckons all players, tall or small, will be encouraged to become all-rounders in rotation, and adapt to the front court. 'Their grassroot coaches deserve credit for starting skills and keeping an open mind on not just choice of singles and doubles but front court and back court as well,' he says. Still, for a country that barely qualified for the 2016 Olympics in men's doubles with a taller Sumeeth Reddy playing front court with Manu Attri, there is some progress. Chhabra says Chirag's game style inspired him but playing on the front court has come with its challenges. 'Satwik and Chirag set up the legacy and gave us belief and a headstart, and my favourite players growing up were Chirag and Indonesian legend Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo,' he says. 'So when coaches at Hyderabad said I should try front court, since I control the shuttle well, I felt ready because Chirag has succeeded there.' The challenges are plenty, though Shetty made them look easy. 'You have to learn to move quickly, bend, play strokes perfectly and have the agility to shift left and right which comes naturally to smaller players. My S&C trainer Arjun Jain is helping me overcome the height disadvantages,' Chhabra said. Arora, of the 63cm jump fame while grazing 6'2', says Shetty was a big reason he picked doubles. 'I think I'm a natural doubles player. I love it, and Chirag is my idol. I have good smashes from the back but also a good sense of the front court. I'm still far from perfect but I take bending as a challenge,' Arora says. He has built up his massive jump after a back surgery, and says Sozonov is teaching him how to think creatively as a front-court Choudhary, watching the Indonesian former World No.1s, dubbed Minions – Kevin and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon – addictively on loop, cured him of all singles ambitions. 'The Minions changed men's doubles skill- and speed-wise. They were everyone's idols but we are not built like them. We are taller. We have Satwik in India, who plays in a way so that you don't take pressure on the body. He starts with a big smash action and fools with drops and low lifts. Now we are also learning the European style through Sozonov, with tall and flat lifts,' he says. Like India's finest, Satwik-Chirag, this next batch is scouted out for their tall frames, but taught to hunker down and play flat, before leaping to explode.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Pullela Gopichand Inspires Youth at Rishi Chaitanya Ashram, Shares Transformative Role of Yog Nidra in Life and Training
Pullela Gopichand Gannaur, Sonepat Celebrated badminton champion and coach Pullela Gopichand visited Rishi Chaitanya Ashram , Gannaur, Sonepat, to meet revered master Anandmurti Gurumaa and address participants of the Summer Youth Retreat 2025 . His guest lecture was a source of inspiration for the young attendees, as he shared the profound impact of Yog Nidra on his own journey and now on the training of his students. Gopichand recounted the challenges and triumphs of his career, illustrating how Yog Nidra, as taught by Anandmurti Gurumaa, became a cornerstone of his routine. He detailed how regular Yog Nidra practice helped him maintain calmness under pressure, recover from setbacks, and sharpen his focus during high-stakes matches. He credited this ancient technique with not only supporting his victories but also with sustaining his mental resilience throughout his professional life. Now, as a mentor to India's next generation of badminton stars, Gopichand shared that he has made Yog Nidra a mandatory part of daily training at his academy. He requires students to practice it twice daily, emphasizing its benefits for mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall well-being—qualities essential for both athletic and personal growth. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Men Over 50: Frequent Urination & Weak Stream? Do this Before Bed healthydayscare Click Here Undo During his address, Gopichand congratulated all the retreat participants, expressing that they are fortunate to learn life lessons from Anandmurti Gurumaa at such a young age. He highlighted the unique opportunity the youth have to integrate practices—such as yoga, meditation, and Yog Nidra—into their lives, setting a foundation for future success and fulfillment. Gopichand's visit underscored the importance of blending traditional wisdom with modern training, inspiring the youth to explore their full potential through both physical and mental discipline. Why Arjun Was Chosen: The Untold Secret of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 3
