National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand says Indian society needs to reconsider concept of winning at all costs

Society needs to reconsider the concept of winning at all costs, India's chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand emphasised on Friday, suggesting that coaches should work in a way that the players realise their full potential.

File image of Pullela Gopichand. AP

Gopichand was speaking live during an SAI session on Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Facebook page. "Winning at all cost is not necessary as a society. It should be more about good character than good features. If you are in a position of power it should be about justice to everybody and as a celebrity to be about being a good role model," Gopichand said.

"In money vs relationships, we should be able to choose good relationships and that is what matters," he said.

Gopichand reflected on his own life as a player and then as a coach, saying we should aim at realising our full potential.

"Coaches should give their 100% and not only think of success in terms of winning a competition but as something their ward sets out to do and then achieve. Each individual is talented and has potential but only one athlete at a time can represent the country at a particular Olympics," he said.

He gave examples of Abhinav Bindra, Sania Nehwal and PV Sindhu and said the reason they were able to win medals at the Olympics was that they gave their all.

"As a society, we need to stop being goal-oriented and rather become process-oriented because that is what will help all of us grow."

He also took the opportunity to thank his parents and coaches for helping him reach where he is today and specially, legendary Prakash Padukone for being an inspiration to many.