Badminton News: Badminton India inaugurates its 'dream' National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati. In a major push towards the development of Indian badminton, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Friday inaugurated its National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, Assam.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between BAI and the Government of Assam, opening a historic chapter for Indian sports at the launch event.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by various dignitaries including Assam CM and BAI Chairman Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Olympic badminton legend Taufik Hidayat, Team India head coach Pullela Gopichand and members of the historic Thomas Cup winning team.
“This National Centre of Excellence is a dream come true. It has been a long journey of seven years and I am happy that today we have not only the best Centre of Excellence in India but also one of the best in the world. What is even more exciting is that it will be a part of Assam's heritage and will revolutionise the sporting history of the region,” commented the BAI Chairman.
NCE offers a range of world-class facilities including 16 courts designed to meet the training needs of 60 Phase 1 athletes. In addition, the centre features a 4,000 sq ft gymnasium with modern fitness equipment, a 60-bed players’ dormitory, a dedicated 2,000 sq ft physiotherapy centre to ensure athletes receive the best care and support to maintain their peak performance.
Renowned international badminton coach Mulyo Handoyo from Indonesia, who will oversee the development of the singles players, former All England champion Ivan Sozonov of Russia and Korea's Park Tae-Sang will lead a strong coaching panel alongside a series of Indian coaches, who will also be trained and developed to meet global standards.
Indonesian legend Taufik Hidayat praised the steps taken by BAI to support the Indonesian badminton movement: “This National Centre of Excellence has good quality and bigger facilities. I hope more Indian junior players will become great players like Gopichand, Sindhu, Saina. I hope to come back in near future. Good luck to the Indians as well as the players from Assam.”
Spread over an area of 40,000 sq. ft., the centre is a milestone for Indian badminton.
Sanjay Mishra, Secretary General, BAI, said, “The modern facilities at the centre will provide a complete ecosystem that will enable athletes, coaches and sports professionals to reach their full potential. This will make a significant contribution to the growth of the sport by creating an environment that fosters excellence and innovation. We also plan to further expand the centre to help train more players in the future.”
“This centre is a testament to BAI’s vision of taking Indian badminton to the next level. I am sure this will be a catalyst for many successes to be seen in the future,” commented Indian ace Kidambi Srikanth.
The packed stadium also saw top Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, Krishna Prasad Garaga and Dhruv Kapila play exciting exhibition matches for those present.
Article tag: taufik hidayat, Badminton India
Published by Ligaolahraga.com at https://www.ligaolahraga.com/badminton/dihadiri-taufik-hidayat-badminton-india-resmikan-akademi-tengah-nasional
