Former shuttler aims to produce Olympians from Assam
Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Dipankar Bhattacharjee, one of the first Olympian shuttler from India, is set to launch a new badminton academy in Guwahati next month. The academy, a joint venture between Dipankar and Modern English School, Kahilipara, will be located on the school’s premises in the city.
Talking to The Sentinel about the new project Dipankar said, “We were discussing the matter for the last several months. Director of Modern English School, Pankaj Das, showed a lot of interest to start a badminton academy equipped with all facilities and finally it is going to happen. If everything goes according to plan, it will start functioning from January.”
Dipankar, who currently operates a badminton academy in Navi Mumbai, also have its branch in Mumbai (YAK-DBA Academy) and in Jalandhar (DBA- District Badminton Association Academy). He has now planned to bring high-level badminton coaching to his home state of Assam and guide local talent to international success.
The new academy, named MES-DBA (Modern English School-Dipankar’s Badminton Academy), will offer residential training for players ranging from beginners to elite athletes. Initially, the academy will enroll 20 players, with plans to increase this number to 50 in the coming months.
Talking about the coaching staff the former shuttler said, “The academy will feature top-notch coaching staff, including a foreign coach from Indonesia, expected to be the chief coach for a two-year contract. Indian coaches, along with support staff like trainers, nutritionists and physiotherapists, will also be part of the academies’ program.”
He emphasized that the focus will be on providing quality coaching rather than profit. “I am not here to earn money. Assam is a very special place in my heart as I belong to this state, and I want to contribute to the future development of players from the state. My main aim for this academy is to create Olympians from Assam,” said the veteran shuttler before signing off.
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