 "Indian badminton gets a new home: A shuttlecock-inspired academy in Bhubaneswar under Gopichand's guidance")
Bhubaneswar has a new landmark and Indian badminton has a new home – ‘Shuttle By Dalmia Bharat’.
It’s a new high-performance centre (HPC), which will be run under the guidance of India’s chief national coach, Pullela Gopichand, and features state-of-the-art facilities. What sets it apart is the centre’s unique architecture. Designed in the shape of a shuttlecock, the Dalmia Bharat Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy aims to inspire the next generation of Indian badminton stars and produce a gold medallist at the 2036 Olympics, which India hopes to host .
The HPC, located in the sprawling Kalinga Stadium of Bhubaneswar, was inaugurated on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Assam CM and Badminton Association of India President Himanta Biswa Sarma and legendary Gopichand.
“Today’s marks a historic day. The inauguration of the Dalmia Bharat Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is a significant milestone not only for badminton but for the entire sport in India,” BAI President Sarma said at the inauguration ceremony. “Through this initiative, we are not just fostering athletic talent but empowering our people and strengthening the nation. The centre will be a significant boost to realise the dream of our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for a strong vibrant sporting culture in India.
“This HPC has long been a cherished dream of BAI. The facility will be a corner of Odisha’s sporting legacy and leave an indelible mark on the state’s sporting history.”
Facilities at Bhubaneswar badminton HPC
The massive seven-storey badminton academy has an indoor area of 77,000 sq ft with eight air-conditioned badminton courts with a 400-spectator capacity. The HPC will also provide residential facilities to young 50 badminton talents and also has a gymnasium and amphitheatre for outdoor activities.
Another unique aspect of the HPC is the coming together of three different parties which makes it sustainable and enhances its impact-creating capabilities. The academy, which has been built at the cost of ₹75 crore, is a collaboration between the Odisha government, Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation and Dalmia Bharat Group.
The foundation stone of the HPC was laid in 2018 by former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik who handed over 3 acre lands to Dalmia Bharat Group for building the academy. The coaching programme will be run by Gopichand’s foundation.
“It’s not just a beautiful building but an aspiration to a lot of kids. This is a symbol of a shuttlecock which will build champions for the future. We need all your hands to come together to ensure the best-talented kids are brought here, the support is given to them and we build champions from here,” former All England Open champion, Gopichand said at the event.
Dalmia Bharat’s Managing Director, Puneet Dalmia, hoped that the academy would produce an Olympic gold medallist for India in future. “I promise you one player from this academy will win a gold medal at the 2036 Olympics,” he said.
The wait is almost over!
— Dalmia Bharat Group (@DalmiaBharat) December 11, 2024
Tomorrow we unveil a milestone that will empower and inspire athletes to take Indian sports to the next level.
Stay with us as we get ready to make history together!@MyDalmiaCement @DalmiaBharat @sports_odisha @PGopichand73 @ShuttleByDalmia… pic.twitter.com/ZtvFIQ8cry
BAI president urges for more support to badminton
BAI President Himanta Biswa Sarma also urged other state governments to invest more in badminton and highlighted that the sport has earned three Olympic medals for the country but continues to lag in terms of attracting investment from sponsors and state governments. “Football, cricket and hockey get good support from the governments and the public, and also a lot of sponsors,” he said. “But badminton, despite bringing so much glory to the country, doesn’t have enough sponsors and academies in the country.
“Just like Odisha, I urge other state government to also come forward and invest in Badminton. I also want to urge Odisha CM that badminton has a lot of potential, lot of players want to take up the sport. My request is that Odisha should promote badminton like they have done with badminton and they can do very well at the Olympics level.”
The HPC is also environmentally friendly with rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge and energy-efficient LED lighting.
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