Badminton News: India’s top badminton player, HS Prannoy, recently shared how Indian badminton players are struggling to get sponsorship deals.
Badminton is one of the most popular sports in India and many of the best badminton players in the country have won awards globally. This includes major events such as the Olympics and badminton world championships.
HS Prannoy is one of the most successful badminton players of recent years in India. The badminton player from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala won the men’s singles title at the Malaysia Masters last month.
The title propelled Prannoy to a career-best ranking of world No. 7 in the BWF World Rankings. He remains the only Indian men’s singles player to feature in the top 10 so far.
Despite all his accomplishments, Prannoy uses his LinkedIn profile to share his personal struggles and tries to get his message across to big business. The 30-year-old badminton player wrote:
“As an athlete who has dedicated his life to the sport, I am honored to have reached 🌍 #7 in badminton. However, it is disappointing to admit that I continue to struggle to attract brands to support my journey. This situation raises important questions: is this the right path for Indian badminton?
“The impact of this struggle goes far beyond the individual player, it affects the aspirations of countless young people who dream of pursuing badminton professionally. A lack of support sends a message of concern, making it difficult for the next generation to take up sport in the belief that they will receive the support they deserve,” he said.
HS Prannoy was part of India’s historic Thomas Cup victory last year by beating 14-time tournament champions Indonesia 3-0 in the final. He was one of the makers of India’s inaugural title in the prestigious team event.
Lionhearted HS Prannoy’s effort in the semi-final against Denmark helped India advance to the final. Despite an ankle injury in the game against Rasmus Gemke, Prannoy continued to play after his medical leave.
He managed to overcome the pain and put on a top class performance to outsmart the Danes 13-21, 21-9, 21-12. This led to India qualifying for the Thomas Cup final for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The world No. 7 mentioned that winning the Thomas Cup also didn’t help him win anything with brands and companies.
“Winning international tournaments and even winning the prestigious Thomas Cup last year, I hope my achievements will lead to greater recognition at the highest level. However, it seems that the value placed on these achievements does not match their importance in the world, brand and business potential,” he lamented.
Article tags: HS Prannoy, India
