Following his role in helping PV Sindhu win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Pullela Gopichand has been hailed as one of India’s most influential coaches. After all, the Indian has been instrumental in getting India’s second Olympic medal in two editions, after Saina Nehwal won the bronze in London in 2012.
However, the Telangana Deputy CM Mohammed Mahmood Ali thinks otherwise, and has come up with a strange suggestion to ensure the 21-year-old goes one better in Tokyo 2020.
Speaking to the television channel News18, Ali said that the whole of India was proud of Sindhu’s achievement and added that they would get a much better coach for the shuttler who would help her get the gold.
“The entire country is proud of her. No player could ever reach that level. Thus we are very happy that our daughter from Telangana has earned a name across the world. We are planning to give PV Sindhu proper coaching so that she can get gold medal next time. Her current coach is also very good, but beyond that we wish for her to get a gold from the next tournament,” he said.
Gopichand has received widespread praise from several quarters for his work with the present crop of shuttlers. Not just Sindhu, he also played a key role in Kidambi Srikanth reaching the quarterfinals of his maiden Olympics, where he lost a close encounter to Lin Dan.
Several high profile names took to Twitter to express their gratitude to Gopi and his contribution to Indian badminton
At this stage,when everybody is raving about Gopi and the success that he has attained, it really begs the question if such a statement from a high-profile minister was required.
