Krishna Sai Kumar Podile may well be the next one in the long line of young talent from the famed Gopi Chand Academy who can make it big in the world of badminton.
For, this 17-year-old shuttler from the city has just started making an impact in the mixed doubles partnering Rituparna Panda of Odisha at the national level winning three titles.
Inspired to play the sport watching the videos of former All England champion Pullela Gopi Chand, Sai joined the academy in 2011 and since then, he has been diligently pursuing a training programme that has produced amazing results already.
The best part for Sai Kumar is that he often runs into India’s best men’s shuttler Kidambi Srikanth and has the privilege of even sharing a few thoughts with the illustrious player.
“Srikanth anna is a wonderful human being, who always encourages me. His advice is pretty simple – enjoy the game both when training and competing,” says the 12th standard student of National Institute for Open Schooling.
“My first big target is to win the title in the Junior Nationals to be held soon and then make it to the Indian team,” he says. “I am good in backhand smashes and attacking and I am aware that I need to work a lot on my defence even while trying to improve in every aspect of the game,” says the modest shuttler.
With the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Oil Corporation lending him the support he is looking for, Sai Kumar is clearly focussed on achieving something big in the days to come.
Banking on the experience of playing in the last World Juniors and also the Asian under-17 championships, Sai Kumar is clearly gunning for an international medal.
“With the kind of scientific coaching being given to all of us at the Gopi Chand Academy, I am confident of producing the kind of results which should please the critics,” he says.
For someone who adores Srikanth, Sai Kumar is clearly in the take-off mode to higher levels and is now looking for the desired consistency to make him a feared shuttler.
