Badminton training in Assam, nay, India is never going to be the same again. The National Centre of Excellence, a state-of-the-art badminton academy, inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the President of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), in Amingaon, Guwahati recently, boasts of an impressive array of world-class facilities, including a remarkable 16 courts designed to meet rigorous training needs of 60 shuttlers. 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 that players receive utmost care and support to maintain their peak performance.
On the occasion, an MoU was signed between BAI and the Government of Assam thereby unfolding a historic chapter for the sports during the launch event.
The Academy elicited immediate response from former and present greats, and upcoming stars. Taufiq Hidayat, one of the greatest the sport has seen, said that “This National Centre of Excellence has excellent facilities and is huge. I hope more junior players from India will become big players like Gopichand, Sindhu, Saina. I hope I can come again in the future. Good luck to Indians and also players from Assam,” the Indonesian great told the media.
P V Sindhu, the double Olympic medallist said in a video message: “The sport will benefit a lot from this,” while terming this as a great step for Indian badminton.
Assam’s own Ashmita Chaliha termed it as a “major boost to the sport in the country”. “Having such a centre in my hometown makes me feel proud. It is going to be a game-changer and is likely to revolutionise the sporting history of the region. This will give us a competitive advantage on the global stage,” she told Asom Barta through a WhatsApp message relayed through her father while undergoing a rigorous training programme in Bangalore for the Asian Games.
She said that the presence of international coaches will attract the best talents to Assam.
Speaking on the occasion, the Assam Chief Minister said that the Centre of Excellence will provide impetus to training and talent development for badminton. He said that the establishment of this facility underscores Assam’s commitment to fostering excellence in badminton.
“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,” Dr Sarma said.
The grand inauguration ceremony was also attended by the who’s who of the world of badminton, including Hidayat, chief coach of Indian team Pullela Gopichand, eminent shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth, H S Prannoy, and other members of the historic Indian Thomas Cup-winning team, along with key BAI officials.
Indonesia’s Mulyo Handoyo will be looking into the development of singles players while 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 global standards in coaching.
Sanjay Mishra, the general secretary of BAI said, “Facilities in this centre will provide a comprehensive ecosystem that nurtures athletes, coaches, and sports professionals to reach their 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,” Srikanth commented.
Omar Rashid, the joint secretary of BAI and general secretary of Assam Badminton Association, felt that the centre will become a hub for badminton talents across India. “I see a bright future for Assam in the sport,” said Rashid.
Bahniman Borah, a former national champion in the U-13, U-16 and U-19 categories, emphasised the importance of maintaining the centre in the years to come. “The most important issue is management of the centre. It alone holds the key to the sports’ future growth,” the former Indian shuttler said.
