BAI has been preparing a joint proposal with SAI to combat the increasing outflow of badminton coaches in India by rewarding them better pecuniary compensations.
BAI To Increase Coaches’ Salary
Most high-profile coaches of Indian badminton have fled the system owing to meagre financial compensation over the years. While there are more homegrown coaches than before, many leave for better opportunities. The BAI and SAI are working on a plan to retain those coaches and are keen on having a salary hike as part of the proposal.
Former Players Join Coaching Ranks Through BAI Initiative
In the last three years, leading players-turned-coaches have moved into full-time coaching positions. These include Parupalli Kashyap and RMV Gurusaidutt. They are currently training top men’s singles players such as H. S. Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth and Priyanshu Rajawat under chief national coach Pullela Gopichand. They are also mentoring youngsters such as Tharun Mannepalli, Anmol Kharb, Anuradha Upadhyaya, and Rakshitha Ramraj.
Impact Of BAI On Men’s Doubles Coach
Former Indian men’s doubles pair Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, who have played in major competitions like Asian Games and Olympics, have now taken up the job of coaching young men’s doubles talent with a foreign coach in the form of Tan Kim Her at events like India Open.
Lack Of Financial Compensation To Coaches
The problem is that most of the experienced coaches are leaving because of the lack of financial compensation. For example, Mohammed Siyadatullah Siddiqui, who was coaching Saina Nehwal and Srikanth, moved to Oregon Badminton Academy in the U.S. last year. Also, World Championships bronze medalist and Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth decided to hang his boots from competitive badminton and coach at a US club in March 2024. Arun Vishnu, the man behind stars Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly’s rise, went back to Nagpur recently to take care of his elderly father-in-law.
Coaches Highlight Financial Disparity
Arun said that in the US, coaches earn between USD 8,000-10,000 per month. Indian coaches working with public sector undertakings (PSUs) earn around Rs 50,000 per month. The difference is more starkly evident now with the Paris Olympics around the corner.
The Issue Of Inclusion Of Ex-Players Into BAI’s Structure
It is not clear why players as senior as those of Anup Sridhar, Arvind Bhat, Chetan Anand or Jwala Gutta – all of whom were former players and hence better positioned within the system — are not involved in the structure of national coaches. Most of them have set up their own academies subsequently. Sridhar, who used to be a coach of Lakshya Sen and of PV Sindhu, is known to have been promoted as men’s singles head coach to the Singapore Badminton Association.
BAI Proposal For Sustainable Coaching In The Future
To avoid loss of talent beyond that and making a future more sustainable, this BAI’s proposal works to give financial appeal to coaching positions such that experienced coaches may be retained in the national set up.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye