Gopi Chand And His Driving Force

One-page note to self, written long ago, is the key: coach’s mother.

- V.V. Subrahmanyam

A one-page, hand-written note by P. Gopi Chand, the chief national badminton coach, long before he won the 2001 All England championship is the driving force behind his passion to keep producing champion shuttlers.

Gopi’s mother, Subbaravamma, who is the livewire in the functioning of the two Gopi Chand Academies at Gachibowli, recalls the note in which her son states: “I am an Indian. I cannot dream of better facilities like the other big stars in world circuit.

“But, I have to train with whatever is available and still try to win at the highest level.” That he won the All England later is now history!