India바카라s chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has been acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee for his contribution to the sport. The 46-year-old, who won the All-England in 2001, is India바카라s first to win an 바카라honourable mention바카라 in the male category of the prestigious 2019 IOC바카라s Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award. For the past three years, these awards have recognised the work of coaches who developed and nurtured athletes in the spirit of Olympism. The 2019 winners were athletics coach Malcolm Arnold from Great Britain and artistic gymnastics coach Ulla Koch from Germany. Since 2008, Gopichand has been running his own academy in Hyderabad, for which he had pledged family property to raise a loan. After he retired prematurely due to injury, Gopichand바카라s scientific methodology and uncompromising approach towards intense training has produced quality shuttlers such as Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikkanth. A Padma Bhusan, Gopichand spoke to Soumitra Bose on his life as a coach. Excerpts:
What does this award mean to you?
It바카라s huge. There were so many top coaches and to get a mention ahead of them is unbelievable. It바카라s a huge boost to coaches in India,especially in badminton.
Which is more precious바카라All-England title or this IOC mention?
Winning the All-England was definitely an important thing, but as far as winning this as a coach, it바카라s massive. To be recognised by the Olympic fraternity is like winning a world championship. I thank the badminton federation, the Indian Olympic Association, the sports ministry and fellow coaches for making this possible. I must mention Adille Sumariwalla, athletics federation president, for proposing my name.
Who is a perfect coach?
There are coaches at various levels바카라grassroots, intermediate and elite. It is their endeavour to maximise the potential of each kid, that바카라s the coach바카라s threshold. A coach must aspire to impact more people, to make them play, to learn about life, instil a sense of discipline and take them to the highest level of excellence.
What바카라s the measure of a successful coach?
It is unfair to judge a coach바카라s potential only by the athlete바카라s performance. To maximise an athlete바카라s potential, to make her learn and do things in a disciplined manner are also important aspects.
What has your journey been like so far?
It바카라s been an emotional journey. You get results as you feel the players are your own and the sense of belonging is what makes you push yourself harder. Their results are your results and that connect is very important. Selfless service to the athlete is very important, and it바카라s a stressful and draining journey바카라 almost like parenting your kid.
When you produce celebrity performers, how difficult does it get as a coach? We have read how hurt you were when Saina Nehwal left your academy in 2014.
It바카라s tough when you are dealing with so many athletes who have excelled at the international level. It becomes an emotional ride when somebody feels the attention is too much and someone feels it바카라s too little. But, at the end of the day, it바카라s their success that wins you the recognition.
