In 2001, a story got unfolded. A little known shuttler rose from the ashes, to win the Wimbledon of Badminton! In a country that is so much obsessed with cricket, it was rather not a significant achievement. The All-England Championship was won by an Indian for the second time after two long decades. Neither there were prayers, nor celebrations. It was after all a championship for we, the Indians.
If you have followed Saina Nehwal's campaign this Olympics, you would have seen a 6'2'' tall, calm, expression-less gentleman with a 'diary'(not the extravagant laptops or tablets) talking to Saina in the breaks.
The person I am referring to, in the above two paragraphs is one. You can call him Sachin Tendulkar or a Dhyan Chand or a Vishwanathan Anand of Indian Badminton for his achievements and contributions made to the country. Being simple, down to earth, humble and 'away from hogging the limelight' nature makes him the most underrated sportsman in the country. He is Pullela Gopichand!
'An Olympic bronze in Badminton'! It is no small thing what this young lady has achieved on 4th Aug., 2012. It is just the second time that a woman has won an Olympic medal for the country. That itself is a major accomplishment; to live up to the expectations of the people. There has been lots of hard work, dedication and determination behind this achievement. And more than all this, there is this guy called, Gopichand.
For a guy aged 20, who until then thought that badminton was everything for him; a major knee-shattering injury put brakes on his career. A year on wheelchair with no exercise or training was a hell for this lad. All his critics wrote him off saying that his career has finished. There rose the phoenix, from the ashes. In the same year, he won the national singles championship. Many others followed, and finally the much coveted All-England Badminton championship.
He did not want to end it there. He knew the problems faced by the young aspirants in undergoing training programs. He opened the now famous Gopichand Badminton Academy. All these Sainas, Kashyaps, Jwalas and Ashwinis are the products of HIM. A ray of hope has been produced from nowhere by this selfless gentleman. No one ever thought that an Olympic medal would be achieved in the Badminton discipline. Now, the day has arrived. This is the day to acknowledge, thank and congratulate this hero who remained in the backdrop, with that 'diary'.
If you have followed Saina Nehwal's campaign this Olympics, you would have seen a 6'2'' tall, calm, expression-less gentleman with a 'diary'(not the extravagant laptops or tablets) talking to Saina in the breaks.
The person I am referring to, in the above two paragraphs is one. You can call him Sachin Tendulkar or a Dhyan Chand or a Vishwanathan Anand of Indian Badminton for his achievements and contributions made to the country. Being simple, down to earth, humble and 'away from hogging the limelight' nature makes him the most underrated sportsman in the country. He is Pullela Gopichand!
'An Olympic bronze in Badminton'! It is no small thing what this young lady has achieved on 4th Aug., 2012. It is just the second time that a woman has won an Olympic medal for the country. That itself is a major accomplishment; to live up to the expectations of the people. There has been lots of hard work, dedication and determination behind this achievement. And more than all this, there is this guy called, Gopichand.
For a guy aged 20, who until then thought that badminton was everything for him; a major knee-shattering injury put brakes on his career. A year on wheelchair with no exercise or training was a hell for this lad. All his critics wrote him off saying that his career has finished. There rose the phoenix, from the ashes. In the same year, he won the national singles championship. Many others followed, and finally the much coveted All-England Badminton championship.
He did not want to end it there. He knew the problems faced by the young aspirants in undergoing training programs. He opened the now famous Gopichand Badminton Academy. All these Sainas, Kashyaps, Jwalas and Ashwinis are the products of HIM. A ray of hope has been produced from nowhere by this selfless gentleman. No one ever thought that an Olympic medal would be achieved in the Badminton discipline. Now, the day has arrived. This is the day to acknowledge, thank and congratulate this hero who remained in the backdrop, with that 'diary'.
1 comments:
#Like
Compact & precise.
Spotlights moved from the Doer to the one who made to Do it s interesting..
wanted to read a little more of it.
Nice shot ;)
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