GUWAHATI: In a major boost for the development of Indian badminton, Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Friday inaugurated the state-of-the-art National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, Assam.
The MoU was signed between BAI and the Government of Assam, unfolding a historic chapter for India sports during the launch event.
“This National Centre of Excellence was a dream. It has been a journey of seven long years and I am delighted that today we not only have the finest excellence centre in India but one of the best in the world too. What is even more heartening is that this will be part of Assam’s legacy and will revolutionise sports history of the region,” Assam Chief Minister and BAI president Himanta Biswa Sarma commented.
The National Centre of Excellence boasts of an impressive array of world-class facilities, including the remarkable 16 courts designed to meet rigorous training needs of 60 athletes in phase 1. In addition, the centre features a 4,000 sq ft gymnasium with modern fitness equipment, 60-bed hostel for players, a dedicated 2,000 sq ft physiotherapy centre to ensure the athletes receive utmost care and support to maintain their peak performance.
Renowned international badminton coaches Indonesia’s Mulyo Handoyo, who will be looking into the development of singles players, former All England champion Russia’s Ivan Sozonov and Korea’s Park Tae-Sang will be spearheading a strong coaching panel along with a string of Indian coaches, who will also be trained and developed to meet the global standards.
Spread across an area of 40,000 square feet with cutting-edge facilities, the centre comes as a significant milestone for Indian badminton as it redefines badminton training and also empowers the country’s future in the sport.
Sanjay Mishra, general secretary of BAI, said: “The modern day facilities in this centre will provide a comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures athletes, coaches and sports professionals to reach their full potential. It will contribute significantly to the growth of sports by creating an environment that promotes excellence and innovation. We also plan to expand this centre further to help train more players in future.”
“This centre comes as testament to BAI’s vision of taking Indian badminton to the next level. I am confident that this will play a catalyst to many successes that will be seen in the time to come,” India’s ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth commented.
The inauguration ceremony also witnessed top Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, Krishna Prasad Garaga and Dhruv Kapila playing an exhibition match.
