Saina Nehwal was a trailblazer for Indian badminton on the courtroom and now she is able to do the identical off it. Nehwal has turn into the primary ladies badminton star, together with Spaniard Carolina Marin, to affiliate with the Legends’ Imaginative and prescient, an bold undertaking by 4 legends of the game.
Envisioned by Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, Peter Gade and Taufik Hidayat, the imaginative and prescient goals to transcend competitions, trophies and prize cash and focuses on 4 core ambitions: enhancing junior improvement, enriching communities, increasing participation, and driving innovation throughout the game. Now in its tenth yr and returning with its Legacy Tour to India, the undertaking has launched ‘A Racket’s Second Life’ within the nation to unfold the sport among the many much less privileged children.
Saina spoke to the The Hindu on the sidelines of the launch of the undertaking. Excerpts:
What precisely is the Legends’ Imaginative and prescient and the way did your affiliation with this tour come about?
It’s a programme that has been round for 10 years however I solely joined it final yr. Their motto is to advertise the sport everywhere in the world. And they’re launching in India, for the primary time ever, ‘A Racket’s Second Life’, which invitations donations of used rackets for somebody who can not afford to purchase. We consider that even those that don’t know a lot concerning the recreation will wish to play and study extra about it in the event that they get a racket in hand and begin taking part in.
A recreation grows when everyone seems to be studying and taking part in it whatever the degree. After I was developing, Gopi sir gave me a racket and that meant a lot for me, I wished to show myself worthy of it. I’m certain there will likely be many kids who will suppose they’ll turn into one thing within the sport with a racket in hand.
Parupalli Kashyap, Aparna Popat, Peter Gade, Saina Nehwal, Sayali Gokhale and Anand Pawar on the exhibition match.
However do you suppose that Indian badminton has hit a speed-breaker?
Sure, there’s a little bump, particularly among the many women. The boys are nonetheless doing effectively, Lakshya is doing extraordinarily effectively. However there’s a slight slide among the many women. I feel all people is completely different; some our bodies are able to doing extraordinary early on, others take time. Possibly in 10 years, a brand new child will come together with a gaggle who’s doing effectively.
I feel we had been very fortunate that means, 10-15 years again, me, (P.V.) Sindhu, (Kidambi) Srikanth, (H.S.) Prannoy, (Parupalli) Kashyap, Sai Praneeth, Guru Sai Dutt, Ajay Jayaram, all of us had been doing extraordinarily effectively. Each time we participated in a Tremendous Collection occasion, we’d be assured at the least certainly one of us would win a medal.
I really feel it took them a while to return into the circuit however within the final one to 2 years, there was a variety of enchancment from among the women. Unnati (Hooda) and Anmol (Kharb) are doing effectively. We must always give them a while. Each nation goes by way of this, together with China. In Korea, earlier there have been no gamers, now immediately one participant is dominating. We must wait and see the way it goes.
There are two methods of creating expertise – cyclical, the place one technology is good throughout the board, like yours. Then there’s a hole earlier than the subsequent technology succeeds. The opposite is steady, the place the subsequent technology is already even because the earlier one continues to be reaching its peak, one thing like China. What do you suppose we have to do to maneuver from the previous to the latter?
Truthfully, it’s a query for me too. Badminton has grown loads in India, coaches have been coming for a few years. Really, extra international coaches are getting into now. And truthfully, some extra gamers on the high ought to have began by now. I feel the coaches can provide a greater reply to the place the errors are taking place.
The gamers now have the whole lot. We didn’t have trainers or physios and even sufficient high quality coaches, there can be one taking care of 40 gamers. Competitors publicity was additionally much less, and furthermore, we didn’t have social media to concentrate on what or how others had been performing. It may well’t be that the gamers don’t have the power both; they’re all excellent. Possibly it’s simply taking just a little time. There’s additionally impatience. Individuals need speedy outcomes, they aren’t capable of keep in a single place for lengthy, they hold altering their coaching venues and companions searching for prompt success.
Most of them usually are not coaching in a gaggle. When you practice in a gaggle, the outcomes will come. Each participant has a unique recreation so that you get to coach in opposition to completely different gamers. And you retain pushing one another. There’s additionally competitors inside the group.
Ladies like Akarshi (Kashyap) and Malvika (Bansod) have been taking part in on the circuit for 5-6 years. I don’t perceive this as a result of in case you are not progressing, it’s a giant query. On the identical time, I’ve seen Unnati who has improved loads within the final one to 2 years, she is taking part in persistently in semis and finals of Grand Prix. Tanvi (Sharma) can be taking part in rather well. However we don’t have a 15-16 yr outdated athlete who can go all the way in which.
I really feel we have now missed the bus someplace. We’re getting a variety of assist. There are such a lot of foundations who’re supporting, together with a variety of schemes. As a participant, I can solely take into consideration the place a participant went unsuitable on the courtroom. However the ‘lacking bus’ half and why it’s taking a lot of time, possibly coaches can reply higher.
What about you moving into full-time teaching, particularly now that you have already got one (Kashyap) within the household?
I can see his situation. He trains from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on a regular basis he’s annoyed over somebody or the opposite. Teaching is more durable than taking part in, you need to put a lot time and effort and your whole self into it. But it surely’s additionally about ardour. I’ll simply wait and see.
I’ve been in sports activities for thus a few years, performed on the highest degree, so we have now already seen a lot stress. I wish to be with my household for a while. My mother and father didn’t actually do something besides be with me, now I would like them to take pleasure in life. However you by no means know after three to 6 years, I’d wish to return to the sport. Now I do motivational talks and if any of the children need, I attempt to assist them, inform them to return and play.
Badminton is performed by everybody however what do you suppose must be finished to draw viewers?
I nonetheless really feel the advertising and marketing may be a lot better. Each the Indian and the worldwide federations must do way more so that folks come and watch tournaments. That’s how children will study. Whenever you speak about cricket or soccer World Cups or the tennis Grand Slams, you see the occasions promoted virtually a yr prematurely and there may be fixed speak about it, info and promotions.
We’ve the World championships subsequent yr and it’s the largest occasion within the sport. We’re additionally internet hosting it after 16 years. Given all that, I simply really feel that possibly we’re missing just a little in pushing the match throughout the nation. Those that comply with carefully will know however does the frequent public know concerning the occasion or its significance?
Revealed – November 23, 2025 10:44 pm IST
