All posts tagged: Parupalli Kashyap

most dig Argentina; Portugal, England, Spain have backers too

most dig Argentina; Portugal, England, Spain have backers too

Published by Webster

Ayush Shetty names Argentina as his favourite FIFA World Cup team, but the youngster is hedging heavily on dark horses, Spain. At her home, PV Sindhu has a Portugal vs Germany rivalry going with her sports-loving husband Venkata Datta Sai, ahead of the World Cup in Mexico, USA and Canada. HS Prannoy’s favourite World Cup memory would be watching football when he was young: “Watching The Brazilian Ronaldo do his magic inside the box.” Former All England champ Pullela Gopichand digs Argentina and Messi magic too, and watched the 2006 World Cup LIVE in Germany, as a nation shrugged off its past, opening up to the world. Game recognises game, goes the saying when athletes identify with exceptional moments in sport – even another sport. But the FIFA World Cup can leave the biggest athletes in their own sport, dealing in superlatives, like crazed happy fans whose moods are regulated for one month in four years by a different sport than their own. Prannoy grew up watching videotapes of Taufiq Hidayat and his backhand that …

They pawned jewellery, skipped holidays, split families chasing badminton dreams. Least you can listen

They pawned jewellery, skipped holidays, split families chasing badminton dreams. Least you can listen

Published by Webster

Former national champion Mithun Manjunath splashed water on his clothes and slept off on open terraces in sticky summers because he couldn’t afford even a basic hotel room with fans at times when travelling to small tournaments as a junior. Ayush Shetty had to split his home, leaving his father alone in Udipi, because the whole family couldn’t shift en masse to Bangalore – the finances wouldn’t add up. Mothers of a few women’s singles shuttlers do crash courses in nutrition, massage techniques, and even ankle taping because they can’t afford travelling physios. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s late father would stand as a linesman and officiate at local tournaments as chair umpire, so his son’s habit of busting racquet strings when smashing could be funded, a career needed to soar. ALSO READ | Hardship & struggle make All England Badminton semifinalist Treesa Jolly the player she is Treesa Jolly would live alone away from home and go hungry if she missed hostel deadlines due to practice. For the twice All England semifinalist, a job appointment has been …

Saina Nehwal on retirement: It was a shock for people but I had to listen to my body

Saina Nehwal on retirement: It was a shock for people but I had to listen to my body

Published by Parlour News

Badminton champ Saina Nehwal, former world No. 1 and winner of multiple international titles, announced her retirement earlier this week, sending ripples across the sporting fraternity. Speaking to HTCity, the 35-year-old says that the decision had been on her mind for a while. Saina Nehwal “I knew it since a long time and discussions kept happening, but eventually the best option was to quit. It came to a point where I had difficulty climbing the stairs. I had to listen to my body,” she shares, adding, “Having played for 25 years, of course I will miss being active. Coaching is always an option. I want to give back to society, but all that will take some time.” On how her family responded, Saina says that her parents, husband Parupalli Kashyap, coaches, and doctors stood firmly by her: “Everyone was very supportive. Initially, it was a shock for some and also a bit of disappointment. But of all the people, I was the most disappointed. There is only so much you can do when your body …

Many Facets of the ‘Sports Quota’ job: ‘Managing academics with sport is difficult, but players need to go through that grind’ | Sport-others News

Many Facets of the ‘Sports Quota’ job: ‘Managing academics with sport is difficult, but players need to go through that grind’ | Sport-others News

Published by Webster

by Parupalli Kashyap (2014 Commonwealth Games champion, Chief Manager at Indian Oil corporation) People say Pullela Gopi Chand is a ‘blessed coach’ who got lucky coaching “great athletes” and only wants to train rich kids now. But did they help when he ran out of money for shuttles to coach us, U13s and U16s, in 2007? Ignoring ‘family time’ after a week of 4 am training, he literally offered himself up on Sunday mornings to spar and network with bureaucrats, politicians and other ‘important’ folk only so that they were convinced he was worth backing. This, after being an All England champion. I’m very privileged now, and insanely lucky, that his academy started at that time, and none of us paid him a single rupee in the early years to make us champions. Story continues below this ad I’ve had my differences with him but will never forget he handed me USD 400 from his own pocket as ‘expenditure’ to travel to the Indonesia Open, because times were bad for me. The choice between academics …

Parupalli Kashyap hails Pullela Gopichand’s comment as wake-up call to fill gaps in Indian sporting ecosystem | Sport-others News

Parupalli Kashyap hails Pullela Gopichand’s comment as wake-up call to fill gaps in Indian sporting ecosystem | Sport-others News

Published by Webster

Indian badminton legend and current head coach of the national team Pullela Gopichand sparked a raging debate with his recent comment about kids from middle-class families not taking up sports. He said, “I advise parents not to put their children in sports. We are not in a position to offer sports as a career. Unless the children are from rich backgrounds.” His comments have attracted arguments from both sides with some calling it an accurate representation of the current sporting landscape in the country while some calling it discouraging for the younger kids. Story continues below this ad One of his students and 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap has agreed with his coach’s comment and explained why it is not discouraging. Taking to the social media platform X, Kashyap said,” Gopi sir’s recent remarks about the challenges middle-class families face in pursuing sports as a career resonate deeply with the realities of India’s sporting ecosystem. He’s absolutely right to highlight the lack of a safety net for athletes who don’t reach the top.” “In …

Parupalli Kashyap hails Pullela Gopichand’s comment as wake-up call to fill gaps in Indian sporting ecosystem | Badminton News

Parupalli Kashyap hails Pullela Gopichand’s comment as wake-up call to fill gaps in Indian sporting ecosystem | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Indian badminton legend and current head coach of the national team Pullela Gopichand sparked a raging debate with his recent comment about kids from middle-class families not taking up sports. He said, “I advise parents not to put their children in sports. We are not in a position to offer sports as a career. Unless the children are from rich backgrounds.” His comments have attracted arguments from both sides with some calling it an accurate representation of the current sporting landscape in the country while some calling it discouraging for the younger kids. Story continues below this ad One of his students and 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap has agreed with his coach’s comment and explained why it is not discouraging. Taking to the social media platform X, Kashyap said,” Gopi sir’s recent remarks about the challenges middle-class families face in pursuing sports as a career resonate deeply with the realities of India’s sporting ecosystem. He’s absolutely right to highlight the lack of a safety net for athletes who don’t reach the top.” “In …

‘Hope we get recognised too’: Indian badminton soars but will Indian coaches get due acclaim and remuneration? | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Arun Vishnu is just back from the Asia Team Championships where the Indian women he coached defied all expectations to win gold. “If my wife says, don’t go for the tournament, I won’t!” he laughs. “But I know she will handle things at home. It’s not easy though,” says India’s young doubles coach, who travels extensively helping eke out tough wins, while leaving a toddler at home with former international shuttler and his spouse Arundhati Pantwane. “She’s also a coach and has her own career,” he reminds. Vishnu, a former national doubles champion, retired early as a player as he couldn’t afford travelling for tournaments, and jumped into coaching. His good outing as coach in this last week though, an Asian title no less, is the feat that will be celebrated more than his playing wins. Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand came out victorious against a couple of Top-10 pairings to earn India crucial points while winning the title. Planning for them was a pair of Indian coaches, Vishnu along with Pullela Gopichand. An under-appreciated fact as …