Pullela Gopichand: No backup plan for many players, need to secure them through sponsorships and jobs

Pullela Gopichand, chief national coach, Indian National Badminton Team. Image: AFP

The sport of badminton has experienced a significant increase in the number of players and investments, according to Pullela Gopichand, the renowned badminton player and chief national coach of the Indian National Badminton Team.

However, Gopichand emphasizes that more efforts are needed to support emerging athletes through job opportunities and sponsorships.

"In the past, around 100 people used to play the sport, and 30 to 40 of them used to secure jobs in PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) and be content with that. Maybe around 50 people would face failure. Today, there are 10,000 people actively playing the sport, participating in national-level tournaments professionally, and dedicating eight to 10 years to it. Yet, there are only around 50 job opportunities," he notes.

During the first edition of the Moneycontrol Startup Conclave, Gopichand discussed the need to provide sponsorships and job security for players.

Gopichand acknowledges that a significant population is invested in the sport, particularly the youth, but only around 5 or 10 individuals achieve success, resulting in a high failure rate.

"There is no backup plan for the rest of them, and that is a concern. I would like to see at least a quarter of the population dedicating their lives to sports being financially supported by sports in some way. Currently, that number is maybe three or five individuals at the top. I would really like to see the top 50 Indian badminton players being fully taken care of," he adds.

Gopichand also highlights the increase in the number of female badminton players, attributing it to the outstanding performances of players such as PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Ashwini Ponnappa, Jwala Gutta, Rituparna Das, Tanvi Lad, and P.C. Thulasi.

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"To further cement and secure this progress, we need to encourage more women, make them feel secure, provide them with more opportunities and sponsorships, and ensure that they become role models for future girls to take up the sport. I believe our women have even more potential than the men, and I would like to see that number grow," he shares.

Gopichand also discusses the role of digital media platforms in covering the stories and struggles of rural India, which may not have access to mainstream media.

"I think it's a great blessing. We should use it to our advantage to ensure that talent is identified from every corner and encouraged to reach the next level," he concludes.

Also read: Is Badminton still a hard sell in India?

Gopichand, 49, had an illustrious career in badminton before becoming a mentor for young athletes. He was the Indian national badminton champion for five consecutive years from 1996 and won a bronze medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. In 2001, he became the second Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Championships after Prakash Padukone.

After retiring, he took on the role of coaching the Indian national badminton team and has guided India to two Olympic medals.