The Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy is 20 years old, and has a lot to remember

The who’s who of Indian badminton — past and present — assembled at a city hotel a few days ago to celebrate the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy’s 20th anniversary. Dronacharya awardee and 2001 All-England champion P. Gopichand, nine-time national champion Aparna Popat, Olympian Vimal Kumar, Asian Championship bronze medallist Ashwini Ponnappa and many others spoke about their association with the PPBA, which was initially set up at the Canara Union courts (Malleswaram) before moving to the Karnataka Badminton Association premises.

The academy, founded by Padukone, Vimal and Vivek Kumar was launched to give young Indian talent the best chance to reach their true potential. The initiative has been an undeniable success, with the PPBA producing several international and national champions. The thoroughly enjoyable occasion, with former India international and PPBA product Vijay Lancy excelling in his role as the master of ceremonies, was also graced by the presence of former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble, veteran athletics coach V.R. Beedu (he has also provided fitness training to many of the PPBA stars) and ace archers Deepika Kumari and Jayanta Talukdar.

Plain-talker Prakash Padukone:

Aparna (Popat) won the silver medal in World junior championship in 1996, but it seems like just yesterday. There is an upswing in Indian badminton now, and the seeds were laid with the founding of the PPBA in 1994. When BPL came forward to sponsor us, we became the first privately-funded badminton academy in the world. Before that, the facilities that most players take for granted now were not present. When some of the current players complain about not having the best of facilities, my mind recalls the 1974 national camp at New Delhi.

We did not have beds or water. The toilets were filthy, and we had to make our own food. All this, however, did not bother us. We went on to win the men’s team event bronze medal at the 1974 Tehran Asian Games. Now, there seems to be all sorts of complaints about lack of sponsorship, support, grants and other things. Players need to realise that success lies in his/her own hands. Everyone needs to accept what is given to them, and just carry on. Players have to find a way to succeed; they must use their energy to win matches.

An emotional Vimal Kumar :

Have we really completed 20 years? I just can’t believe it; my elder daughter was born in 1994. In the early 1990s, Vivek and I wanted to start a badminton academy, so we met Padukone, who was then the Chairman of the Karnataka State Sports Council. Padukone told us that he had the same idea, and asked: ‘May I join you?’ The first task was to find a sponsor. We had made a project report and I took it with me wherever I took part in tournaments.

I once travelled to Chennai to play a tournament, when a close friend introduced me to Vinay Kamath (a senior journalist at The Hindu Business Line). Kamath had arranged for an interview with Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BPL Mobile founder) and Ajit Nambiar (BPL Chairman), and he agreed to take me with him. I met Chandrasekhar and Nambiar with the project reports, and we got our first sponsor. BPL gave us everything we needed, from funds to infrastructure. I must thank Kamath for facilitating this association.

I am also grateful to our current sponsor, Tata Capital, for their tremendous contribution.

An appreciative Anil Kumble:

Growing up, Padukone was my hero. I looked up to him as an iconic Indian who had achieved so much, at a time when success in badminton was unimaginable.

He was the one who showed all of us that we could dream big. And now, with the PPBA, he has passed on this confidence to his wards. To sustain an academy of this size for 20 years is no joke. I was told that 90 per cent of Indian badminton players have been produced by the PPBA, which is a tremendous achievement.

A reverential P. Gopichand:

When I began playing badminton at Hyderabad, it did not boast of much infrastructure. To become the State champion was the maximum reward that you could expect. I can recall that leading into the 1992 National championship, we played only football, because we did not have shuttles to practice with. When I moved to the PPBA, all this changed. The academy gave us funding, and provided courts, racquets and shuttles. I remember those long and tiring practice sessions with Padukone. We dreaded those sessions, but we also knew that we were learning from the master.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / December 08th, 2014