India's current state of affairs

Discussion in 'India Professional Players' started by Loh, Jun 7, 2007.

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    The Hindu
    08/06/2007


    Don't get carried away by the numbers

    Stan Rayan

    KOCHI: At summer camps, as a hundred new racquets flog the bird, badminton popularity appears to soar to a new high year after year. The playing halls are full. And junior National circuit tournaments attract nearly a thousand entries these days.

    A casual look gives the impression that badminton is booming in the country. But don't get carried away by the numbers.

    "Dropout is huge in badminton," said National coach P. Gopi Chand. "There is a big turn-out for tournaments such as these but after a few years hundreds of players are missing."

    The problem is with the existing system — the stress on academics — and the existing infrastructure.

    "We need good numbers in badminton. And there is a big problem in doubles," said the former All England champion on Wednesday evening during the Servo all-India junior tournament here.

    "If you look at the men's doubles, a few years ago we had top players like Jaseel Ismail and Markose Bristow. After about a gap of seven years, the next bright bunch — Sanave, Rupesh and Diju — appeared on the scene.

    "Now we have players like Shanker Gopan, Alwyn Francis and Arun Vishnu but the gap between the previous lot and this bunch is much bigger," he added.

    The scene is more pathetic in the women's section. "We don't have any players," said the former World No. 4.

    "We need good 19 to 20-year-olds. And coaches and players need to know how to train for doubles. Also, we should have long-term camps to groom good doubles players."

    Five years ago, Sanave and Diju were among the world's top 15 in men's doubles. And among women, there was always talk that Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien had the potential to be among the world's top ten. But the current state is quite different.

    Bright scenario

    However, things are rosy in men's singles. "Chetan Anand has the potential to get into the top 10 while players like Anup Sridhar, Anand Pawar, Ajay Jayaram, Arvind Bhat and Kashyap have a good chance to climb into the top 20 or even higher," said Gopi Chand.

    About the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, he said many countries, including Singapore, have now taken Chinese players to strengthen their team.

    "Malaysia, England and Singapore should be giving us a tough fight in the Commonwealth Games," he said
     
  2. Dreamzz

    Dreamzz Regular Member

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    i think india a still a little behind england, and definitely quite far behind malaysia at the moment, but the potential is certainly there.
     
  3. Linus

    Linus Regular Member

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    One would think given India's population and interest in badminton, with good planning and development, talents would emerge.

    But such long term development has never been easy in India as funds, instability and politics do somehow slip in at times. At least we can see now that they have set themselves a target with 2010 Commonwealth Games, and a realistic one too. We shall see if this is another sleeping giant in awakening.
     
  4. Dreamzz

    Dreamzz Regular Member

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    they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the future if they get the proper support. with such a huge population, even a small percentage out to produce some world class players.
     
  5. guttayelan

    guttayelan Regular Member

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    watch india sudirman team's performence

    at last gopi has to take his "team" to face the tough mix team event..

    he has dropped the india's best players...

    with his "super team" gone to scotland..
    gopi after playing so much nasty..i am sure his team will be doing wonders there..watch out..
     
  6. guttayelan

    guttayelan Regular Member

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    donot believe what gopi says for he is never true..

    pls donot believe what gopi said here.. in fact he is the culprit to stop chetan , jwala , shruti and many other good players from participating the international tournament...
    he must have burnt his tongue while mentioning theirnames..
    of course he will never be able to make his players to fight singaporeans and malaysians..when he is in no intention to make any indian player to achieve ..
    he is a nasty badminton assasin..u all should watch his move..
     
  7. rwg05

    rwg05 Regular Member

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    The fault lies with our education system. Just at the time (at the age of around 16-18) when one decides that, maybe, he/she could look at a career in badminton (or any other sport), both the 10th and 12th Standard board exams are upon you.

    Given the high competition in India, it is imperative that one must do well in these exams... So many people decide to quit sports, in spite of playing at a state or national level, and look towards a conventional, less risky career.

    Many people I know have stopped playing badminton for one or more years, just to prepare for these exams.
     
  8. guttayelan

    guttayelan Regular Member

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    one more side..you need to know..

    yes, you are right, one side in india ones has to study and get merit certificates from playing badminton in order to get admission in the professional course on sport quota..these players aim is just to play well and get into their choice of professional studies..while there are lots dedicate players also..such like chetan , jwala , shruti and many others in india..although they have done excellently well as an indian in the badminton circuit but many times, they are troubled by some coaches or other association people who always think how to push them back..these players are the national champions..when they are obstructed by some badminton assasins..the players who wanted to choose a career of badminton also have to think thrice before going into this profession..so in india, it is not like the national chief coached said in recent tournaments held in cochin..he, in fact , since the day one he become the national coach , did so far no good , but the worst to the badminton in india..he , in his all life time won one major title only , was thinking to project himself always high, and sees no one would do better than himself..he did all what he would to see these players go down in world ranking..now you tell me..with this kind of badminton assasins , where the indian badminton is heading? sad about it..today the all world knows ,only because of this natinal chief coach, the indian team for sudirman cup is in the worst combination..maybe he will play if the injured player cant play..u donot forget to watch out for their performences..
     
  9. guttayelan

    guttayelan Regular Member

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    age factor

    and this indian national coach keep on saying these national champions are too old to perform and they have past their prime time..while he has forgotten he has won the international major tittle at 30..when he can do it why not others? and why is the hell he always talking about age factor?
    and he surely knows how to keep his players age always lesser..only his players are "young and always 17 years of age "..all other players are old to him..all of you need to find out how?
     
  10. cheongsa

    cheongsa Regular Member

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    Is there any reason why one cannot choose to take the standard exams later in life, say, after retiring from the professional badminton scene at age 27?
     
  11. rwg05

    rwg05 Regular Member

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    One can, but you're not going to find many people who will...

    Many reasons account for this. In India, parental pressure plays an important part in an individual's decisions. Not many parents would allow their children to take even a one year break from studies.

    Secondly, sports is percieved to be a risky career. If you want to pursue a sport, side by side, one must study alongside and get a degree. I tend to agree with this one.

    Thirdly, you wouldn't want to be the sole 27 year old in a class full of 17 year olds, would you?
     
  12. rwg05

    rwg05 Regular Member

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    At least we have a sports quota...:)
     
  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    What about the talented children who come from poor families?

    Will they have a chance to be developed into professional sports people like what they have in China, when the populations is huge and having the government to look after you from about aged 8 is so much better than staying at home with barely little to subsist on?

    Do they have a talent-scouting system? Is primary education compulsory for all children irrespective of their backgrounds?
     
  14. cheongsa

    cheongsa Regular Member

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    Well, maybe not. But could a person not take the exams as a private candidate, i.e. don't go to school, just show up for the exams?

    As for studying while playing professionally, Boonsak Ponsana is still an undergraduate, but has a number of titles under his belt. So it can be done, but I suspect support from all sides is necessary.
     
  15. rwg05

    rwg05 Regular Member

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    Yes, another problem is money. Badminton is an expensive sport to pursue. Courts are plentiful in cities, but are mainly present in private clubs, where only members can play. Thus, if you look at all the current (or even former) Indian badminton (or tennis) players, you'll see they all come from fairly well to do families.

    As far as I know, I don't think there is a talent scouting system from the grassroot level. If there was, given the enthusiasm for badminton in India (nowadays, one can see people playing badminton on empty streets instead of cricket!:)), we would have had more proffesional badminton players.

    Primary education is compulsory and free for all.
     
  16. rwg05

    rwg05 Regular Member

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    yes, that's a good idea...
    If someone is really serious about badminton maybe they could do that (they must also have really supportive parents!)
     
  17. s1nn3r

    s1nn3r Regular Member

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    If a sport that doesnt has the full support from the government is very hard to succed for the players.

    China, Ina & Msia got full government support for their badminton development!
     

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