Indian badminton icon Prakash Padukone has embarked on a significant new chapter in his coaching career, shifting his focus from nurturing elite athletes to building a strong foundation at the grassroots level. This strategic pivot follows his recent exit from the renowned Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, which he led for over three decades.
From Elite to Grassroots: A Legend's New Mission
Padukone was in Pune on Wednesday to formalise a key partnership for his new initiative, the Prakash Padukone School of Badminton. He finalised an association with the Poona District Metropolitan Badminton Association’s (PDMBA) Avinash Wardekar Badminton Academy, marking the practical start of his "second innings."
Reflecting on his decision, Padukone stated that after 31 years of guiding top-tier players, he felt it was time for a change. "I think I have done enough for elite players. We started the academy in 1994 and were among the first to show the way," he said. He acknowledged that while numerous academies now cater to elite athletes, there remains a gap in foundational training. "It also got a little boring, doing the same thing again and again. I’ve completed my first innings and now the second innings has started," Padukone explained, emphasising his renewed passion for cultivating talent from the very beginning.
Air Badminton Takes Off in Pune Schools
Parallel to launching his school, Padukone inaugurated an innovative Air Badminton initiative in Pune. This project, a joint effort by the Poona Games Foundation and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), will be implemented across civic schools.
The scheme is structured as a pilot project with clear initial goals:
- Air badminton courts will be marked in 32 PMC schools.
- Each school will receive four badminton rackets and shuttlecocks from sports brand Yonex.
- A coach from the Poona Games Foundation will provide training at each school for one week, followed by ongoing support for two to three months.
The long-term vision is to expand this program to more municipal schools after evaluating the pilot's success, a move that will be coordinated by PDMBA and the PMC.
Padukone highlighted the importance of mass participation, drawing a comparison with China. "In China, 100 times more children must be playing badminton as compared to India. If we can introduce the sport to more children, a larger pool will naturally progress to higher levels," he reasoned, outlining a funnel strategy for talent development.
Curriculum, Mindset, and the State of Indian Badminton
The collaboration between PDMBA and the Prakash Padukone School of Badminton is not just about infrastructure. It aims to introduce a standardised, certified curriculum and new technical assessment methods for coaches, ensuring quality training at the base level.
When discussing the current landscape of Indian badminton, Padukone noted a positive shift in resources. "Funding is not an issue now. Players get whatever they want and travel with a full team," he observed. He acknowledged the overall improvement in standards but issued a caution against complacency.
"Players should have that hunger to win big tournaments. We need to focus on mind training for players to perform under pressure situations," Padukone stressed, identifying mental fortitude as the next frontier for Indian badminton's success on the world stage.
With this new venture, the legendary shuttler is planting seeds for the future, hoping to dramatically widen badminton's base in India and build a sustainable pipeline of champions for decades to come.
