Naveen Pattnaik's dream project operational: Need to sponsor young badminton talents

By Sudhansu R Das

Former Chief Minister, Naveen Pattanaik’s dream project “Dalmia Bharat Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy" at the Kalinga Stadium complex, Bhubaneswar, was inaugurated on 12th December 2024 by Odisha Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi and Himanta Biswa Sarma, President, Badminton Association of India. "This centre will take badminton in India to a new high," said CM Majhi. The High Performance Centre, resembling a badminton shuttle, covers 77000 square feet with eight badminton courts and seating arrangement for 400 spectators. Rated as one of the most advanced badminton infrastructures in the world, the Academy is expected to enthuse the young badminton players of Odisha.

"This revolutionary facility, with its unique design and state-of-the-art amenities, will play a crucial role in shaping Indian badminton's future," said Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Bharat. Along with advanced badminton stadiums, the young badminton players need many other facilities to take the game to the next level.

Badminton is a very expensive game. The cost of a barrel of feather shuttle is Rs 2200.00; a good quality shoe costs Rs 10000.00; the racket cost varies from Rs 5000 to Rs 12000 and the gutting cost is around Rs 700. The cost of diets, coach fee, boarding and lodging expenses etc is around Rs 20000.00 per month. The average monthly expenditure on a badminton player is around Rs 40000.00. The cost of staying and playing in the High Performance Center is not known; which may not be affordable for players from the poor and the middle class families. Talented children do not choose family status before their birth. They can belong to the poor and middle class families; who may face deprivation due to lack of resources. The state government should give scholarships to young badminton talents after they perform well at the national level. Similarly the Corporate who take various concessions from the state should necessarily sponsor young players when they are in their early teens; without which it is impossible to shape the future of the young talents. The new badminton Academy will help the young badminton players of Odisha if they get an opportunity to practice in the Academy at an affordable cost. The Academy will be a success if it appoints foreign coaches from Indonesia, Malaysia and China along with good Indian coaches.

Over the years badminton has become a popular sport in India and many Indian players have won medals in the international competitions. Odisha has also emerged as a badminton power; Swetaparna Panda, Rutuparna Panda, Unnati Hooda and Pramod Bhagat have excelled in the International competitions. Pramod Bhagat is ranked world number 2 in para-badminton men's singles SL3, and he won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Men's singles. There are many young players in the state who perform well in the national and international tournaments. Lack of funds is the biggest hurdle before the majority of the players.

In order to reduce the badminton expenditure, the government can think of giving concessions in rail and bus fare to young players. Besides the hotels, restaurants, sports shops and hospitals should cut their price for badminton players; without which it is impossible for the young players to continue in this game. In order to develop sports at grass root level, former Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik approved the construction of 89 multipurpose indoor stadiums with badminton courts across the state. Some of the badminton courts constructed are underutilized and are facing maintenance problems. Both public and private sectors should come forward to sponsor young badminton talents and maintain the Indoor stadiums. The present government should create employment opportunities in multiple economic sectors of the state like tourism, agriculture, fishery, handicraft and services etc instead of focusing on industry, mining and real estate only. People need regular income to run their families and their surplus to spend on sports.

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Beyond Lata: How Asha Bhosle redefined the female voice with her underrated versatility

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The news of iconic Asha Bhosle’s ‘untimely’ demise has shocked music lovers across the country. Asha Tai was 92 years young. Normally, people celebrate a passing at this age, but Asha Bhosle—much like another legend, Dev Anand—never made us feel she was growing old. She was perhaps the most versatile artist in Bombay cinema. Hailing from a family devoted to music, Asha’s journey to success and fame was not easy. Her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, had already become the voice of women in cinema, and most contemporaries like Shamshad Begum, Suraiya, and Noor Jehan had slowly faded into oblivion. Frankly, there was no second or third to Lata Mangeshkar; she became the first—and perhaps the only—choice for music directors and all those who mattered in filmmaking. Asha started her musical journey at age 10 with a Marathi film, but her first break in Hindustani cinema came with the film "Chunariya" (1948). Though she was not the first choice of ...

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

46% own nothing, 1% own 18%: The truth about India’s land inequality

By Vikas Meshram * “Agriculture is the backbone of India” — this is what we have been hearing for generations. But there is a pain hollowing out this backbone from within: the unequal distribution of land. On one hand, news of farmer suicides, indebtedness, and rural migration keeps coming; on the other, agricultural land across the country continues to concentrate in the hands of a few wealthy individuals.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

US study links ultra-processed diets to preterm birth, sparks concern in India

By Jag Jivan A growing body of scientific evidence linking ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption during pregnancy to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes has sparked fresh concern among public health experts, with Indian nutrition advocates warning of serious implications for the country’s already strained maternal health landscape.

Midnight weeping: The sociology of tragic vision in Badri Narayan’s poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* Badri Narayan, a distinguished Hindi poet and social scientist, occupies a unique position in contemporary Indian intellectual life by bridging the worlds of creative literature and critical social inquiry. His poetic journey began significantly with the 1993 collection 'Saca Sune Hue Kaï Dina Hue' (Truth Heard Many Days Ago). As a social historian and cultural anthropologist, Narayan pioneered a methodological shift away from elite archives toward the oral traditions and folk myths of marginalized communities. He eventually legitimized "folk-ethnography" as a rigorous academic discipline during his tenure as Director of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute.

Search This Blog