'Saina's Future Will Depend On Her Recovery'

As a top badminton player, U Vimal Kumar won the French Open in 1983 and 1984 and the Welsh International Open in 1988 and 1991. He was an Indian national champion in 1989 and 1990. He was among the first players — there were two others — to qualify for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where badminton made its Games debut.

And as a coach, the articulate Vimal Kumar held the position of India's chief national coach for about three years — including the 2004 Athens Olympics — until he resigned on his own accord in 2006, and Pullela Gopi Chand took over from him. Vimal has also been involved with the International Badminton Federation's coaching programmes in Malaysia (1999), Cape Town (2000), Auckland (2001) and the European Summer School (2006).

Vimal helped legendary Prakash Padukone launch his academy in early 1990s in Bangalore. He is a Co-Founder, Director and Chief Coach at the academy.

The Bangalore-based Vimal also appreciates the Sports Authority of India and the central government, especially for creating the infrastructure for badminton — and other disciplines — for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. "And I would give a lot of credit to the sports ministry and SAI. They've provided accommodation, shuttlecocks and foreign coaches etc," he emphasises.

In an Exclusive Interview with Outlook, Vimal Kumar talks about PV Sindhu's silver medal at the Rio Olympics, Saina Nehwal's injury, Gopi Chand's laudable work as coach, and the future of Indian badminton. Excerpts from the interview:

Are you happy with the seven-member Indian badminton team's overall performance at the Rio Olympics?

Barring Saina Nehwal, who got injured, they played to their potential. PV Sindhu, I thought, played exceptionally well. Overall, compared to all the other disciplines, badminton fetched a medal. It's very satisfying.

Did Sindhu live up to your expectation or exceed it? 

If you look at it, Saina, Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi are the only players who have beaten all the top international players in the circuit. We were always expecting something from them. So, they are better [bets], unlike in the men's or the women's doubles, where we've not done that. We're okay, but we've not beaten the big names. Sindhu played to her potential, especially after her match against with Michelle Li of Canada [19-21, 21-15, 21-17] — that was a bit of a crunch match. After that she started playing without any pressure. All the other players were above Sindhu [in global rankings]. Also, she had beaten all these girls in the past, too. So, it was very creditable, especially when we needed it, when we were desperate at the Olympic Games.

Sindhu looked a bit tired and desperate to win in the final against Carolina Marin of Spain. Did you think so?

The problem in India is that when the focus comes on you suddenly then you think about the prospects and the expectations that the country has. I have seen this happen to Saina at last year's All England final. They also said that she was the first [Indian] woman to reach the final and had a good chance. Prior to that she had not lost to Carolina Marin; she had a 3-0 record against her. She was playing well but then she cracked. The pressure got to her, after winning the first game comfortably. She was way up in the second and when the resistance came, Saina crumbled. The same thing happened to her in the World Championships when the crunch came. And the same thing happened to Sindhu. But Sindhu still played all right. In the third and final game she bridged the gap and made it 10-all and Carolina started making mistakes. I thought if she had made a little more effort…she gave away one or two points. Such things are very subtle, very small aspects. Sindhu could have converted that.

If you look at our archers or shooters, they do exceptionally well at World Championships etc when there is no media focus and no attention on them. When the focus suddenly comes they falter. That's an area where our sportspersons fail — and Sindhu too.

Before the final was played we said that we were sure of a silver medal. So, we were settling already for a silver. That psyche has to change. Out athletes are doing well; they are at the elite level. But why change the thinking process [when playing finals]. Am not being critical, but it's a lost opportunity. In India, we get satisfied reaching finals. The typical Indian mentality has to change.

Do you visualise Sindhu winning an Olympic gold or a World Championship gold some day?

Definitely, definitely. Sindhu is just 21 or 22 and has many years ahead of her. And physically she is tall and strong. If she remains injury free and if things go as per her plan, systematically, it will happen.

What about Saina's future from here on, since you are working closely with her?

She put in a good effort. When a few days prior to the Olympics something like this [patella tendon injury] happens, I feel sorry for her, because she is one girl who puts in a lot effort towards her preparation. Sometimes sport is cruel. And it unfortunately happened to Saina at the wrong time. Just a few days before we were told that the pain would come down, once she gets there and gets a couple of days' rest. She played the first and it got aggravated. But she was desperate and wanted to play, hoping that the pain killing injection would do the trick. But it didn't work out. After coming back she had to get it operated. The rehab programme in the next few months has to be absolutely perfect. That is where we sometimes lack in India. The rehab programme in the next few months, to get back her strength, and the recovery process will determine her future.

A word about Gopi Chand the coach. How much credit goes to him?

Definitely, I'll give a lot of credit to Gopi — he took over from me as national coach when I resigned because of the travelling involved and other things. It's [Gopi's contribution] very creditable. I'll give him full marks. The biggest advantage with Gopi is that he has created his own infrastructure. That is most remarkable thing that has happened. The Badminton Association of India doesn't have a facility of its own. And once Gopi's academy became a national centre, it can support camps and such things all the year from the funding by the government, the sports ministry. Overall, you have to give him a lot of credit for the Indian badminton's present position. So, definitely, it's very, very creditable.

Does it help that Gopi Chand is one of the greats of the game and when he coaches his wards take him seriously?

Most of the players are groomed in south of India, either in Hyderabad or in Bangalore. At other centres the former international players and others need to get [more] involved because the bigger problem is monetarily they are not benefitted. Prakash Padukone's and Gopi's academy has got funds in their names. The others struggled. So, a huge amount of money needs to be charged [for getting coaching] which, I don't know, if they can afford. We require more infrastructure and dedicated coaches in different parts of the country. The coaches need to be paid well. The mentality of those concerned are is that they wouldn't pay Indian coaches the money, but you are prepared to pay a foreigner a certain sum of money…$5,000 etc. [monthly]. When it comes to Indian coaches, they pay Rs.50,000 or Rs 1 lakh, that is the maximum that can be paid. So, a lot of people will think twice. We — Prakash, Gopi and me — are lucky that we can make a living being involved with the sport. But how many people can do that? That's a major concern.

I want to highlight here that badminton is one sport, compared to tennis or swimming or football or any other discipline, there is no gap in the international level and the Indian level. We've bridged the gap; it's a very, very thin line. We need to bridge the gap in pairs events; we've good strength in singles. I really see a very, very bright future for India in singles. But I wouldn't say the same for ladies' singles because after Saina and Sindhu there's a gap. Many talented girls are coming but their work ethic, the strength aspects and other things have not really come across as that special like Saina and Sindhu who, we always knew, were special.

Why Gopi, Prakash Padukone and you are more successful as coaches? Is it that you people are putting in more hard work than the others or are there other reasons?

It's a combination of many things. You need to be there guiding the players, keeping with them, showing them, demonstrate…so a lot of factors are involved. The players who have retired might not be devoting so much time. They might be working at different places, maybe they have a job or something, so they are doing it part time. But if they also get the opportunity and get totally involved they can also do the same. For example, Uday Pawar [former multiple-time national doubles champion] is doing a good job in Mumbai. He is showing good results. He has produced good players. You have to give a lot of credit to Mr [Syed Mohammed] Arif [coach of Gopi Chand]. A lot of them came up from the Fateh Maidan centre in Hyderabad. Whether it was Sindhu or Saina, they all started off playing over there. Many other centres are there in India but they lack support.

You have seen Gopi's academy in Hyderabad. What are the things that appeal to you?

Since coaches are at your disposal round the year, you can run your programme the way you want it at your centre. That cushioning others don't have; other have constraints and such things. And Gopi is using it very well, for the betterment of the game. So, you've to give that credit to him. Earlier, there was only the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy and everyone — whether it was Gopi Chand or Aparna Popat — trained here in Bangalore. We were funded by BPL in early 1990s. There was absolutely nothing [no academy], but when Prakash came forward BPL funded the academy in a small way, and we could support about 20-25 players. That set the trend and made a huge impact on the sport. And when Gopi took over [coaching at his academy in Hyderabad] total funding from the government started and things started getting better.