Chirag: India needs more badminton coaching academies

Mangaluru: India needs more badminton coaching academies to infuse young blood into the sport, said Indian shuttler Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty.
Shetty who hails from Mangaluru, is the brand ambassador for the Mangaluru Triathlon, that is to be held on Sunday. He played a pivotal role in India’s victory in the coveted Thomas Cup last year. Interacting with reporters on Saturday, he said that India has tremendous potential to excel in various sports, however, there are not enough training centres. “There are well-known training academies for badminton in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. If there were more training centres in and around the city, it would attract more talent. Of late, the sport has attracted a lot of youngsters,” said Shetty.
On the Indian mindset of giving priority to academics over sports, Shetty said that academics is still a priority. However, whenever Indian teams win medals at various events, including the Olympics, there is a small change, and the priority shifts towards sports, he said.
On being asked if commercial endorsements have an impact on sports performance, Shetty said, “A player must know his/her priorities. Sports needs planning, practice, and commitment. It will definitely affect performance, if one does not spend much time on the ground, but elsewhere. There is increased pressure and expectation from us, after winning the Thomas Cup in 2022,” he said.
Shetty said that it is high time that Indians stop prioritising cricket, and give more emphasis to other sports too.
Hailing from Yermal, and currently staying in Mumbai, he said, “Whenever I visit Mangaluru, I make it a point to be here, at least for two days and meet my friends and relatives.” On being selected as the brand ambassador for the Mangaluru Triathlon, Shetty said that as a sportsperson, he loves to promote fitness.