The Lucky Cabin

Veteran Indian badminton star Pullela Gopichand is calling on corporate officials of major companies in the country to support the sports in order for the players to progress in their field and keep the country in the forefront of badminton. Gopichand is a former All England champion.

During the weekend, while speaking in front of the jampacked auditorium at the Bengal Badminton Academy, Gopichand said that sports are now becoming a second priority in the country. This can be seen in the declining funds set on major sports where athletes excel such as badminton. He said that the focus these days are now given on cricket, considered as the most popular sport in the country.

Gopichand revealed that badminton is gaining popularity in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, mostly southern states. This can be seen in the increase of aspiring players with badminton rackets practicing or even training for national tournaments.

The former top player said that top badminton players were also produced in other states such as Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The former top shuttler stressed that there are a lot of young, talented players in the country. He noted that he saw a lot of promising players in West Bengal alone. However, he added that the lack of funding for wilson badminton equipment and infrastructure to accommodate these players could only mean the decline of this racket sport in the country, unless they get the support from the government or the corporate sector.