Helena Frye
India's first state-of-the-art Para-Badminton Academy opened in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in January 2022. The centre was launched by Dronacharya awardee and head national coach of the Indian Para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance. The academy is equipped with advanced equipment and facilities, including a fully-equipped gym, ice baths, steam baths, and disabled-friendly rooms for athletes to stay. The aim of the academy is to improve India's medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris and to provide a professional training setup for the country's para champions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Founder | Gaurav Khanna |
| Launch Date | 16 January 2022 |
| Facilities | Courts, gym, ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, jacuzzi hydrotherapy, disabled-friendly rooms |
| Equipment | BWF-approved synthetic mats, wooden courts for wheelchair athletes |
| Purpose | Improve India's medal prospects at the Paralympics |
| Sponsors | Ageas Federal Life Insurance |
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What You'll Learn
India's first Para-Badminton Academy in Lucknow
India's first Para-Badminton Academy was launched in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in January 2022. The centre was set up with the aim of improving India's medal prospects at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The academy was launched by Dronacharya awardee and head national coach of the Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance. Khanna, who has nurtured para badminton champions like Pramod Bhagat, Sukant Kadam, and Palak Kohli, has been working towards creating a professional setup for para badminton players since 2015.
The Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy (GKBA) is a state-of-the-art, high-performance centre with advanced equipment and facilities. It consists of four courts, two with BWF-approved synthetic mats for standing athletes and two wooden courts for wheelchair athletes. The academy also has a fully-equipped gym, ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, and jacuzzi hydrotherapy, as well as disabled-friendly rooms for athletes to stay.
In addition to the training infrastructure, the academy will provide mentoring sessions with physiotherapists, nutritionists, and psychologists. The first batch of students started training on 1 December 2020, with registrations opening earlier that year. The academy is located within the Excellia School in Lucknow.
Speaking about the academy, Gaurav Khanna said, "India has produced several para champions, but they could never train in a professional setup. Since 2015, I have been doing whatever I can at makeshift, rental venues. Thanks to Ageas Federal Life Insurance, we have managed to create a world-class facility for Para-badminton players."
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State-of-the-art facilities
India's first para-badminton academy, located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, boasts several state-of-the-art facilities. The academy was launched by Gaurav Khanna, the Dronacharya awardee and head national coach of the Indian para-badminton team, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance.
The high-performance centre consists of four courts, with two BWF-approved synthetic mats for standing athletes and two wooden courts for wheelchair athletes. The academy also includes a fully-equipped gym, ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, and jacuzzi hydrotherapy facilities. In addition, the centre has disabled-friendly rooms for athletes to stay in, providing a convenient and comfortable training environment.
Qualified coaches, physios, physical trainers, nutritionists, and other support staff are available to the athletes, ensuring a holistic approach to their development. This integrated approach, which includes backing for grassroots badminton development, will help identify and nurture new talent for the 2024 Paris Paralympics and beyond.
The academy's world-class facilities have transformed the training landscape for Indian para-badminton players, providing them with a professional setup to focus on their game and achieve greater success on the international stage.
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High-performance centre
India's first Para-Badminton Academy is a state-of-the-art, high-performance centre with advanced equipment and facilities in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It was launched by Dronacharya awardee and Head National Coach of the Indian Para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance. The academy aims to improve India's medal prospects at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and beyond.
The high-performance centre consists of four courts, with two BWF-approved synthetic mats for standing athletes and two wooden courts for wheelchair athletes. It also includes a fully equipped gym, ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, and jacuzzi hydrotherapy. The centre has disabled-friendly rooms to accommodate athletes.
Gaurav Khanna, the veteran coach, also unveiled the Ageas Federal 'Quest for Fearless Shuttlers' programme at the launch. The programme seeks to identify and nurture new talent for the 2028 and 2032 Paralympic Games. Khanna also expressed his intention to initiate a Coaches Excellence Programme to train coaches in the intricacies of Para-badminton and make India a major force in the sport.
The academy will provide para-badminton players with access to qualified coaches, physios, physical trainers, nutritionists, and other support staff under one roof. This marks a significant upgrade from the previous situation, where players had to train in makeshift rental venues. The launch of the academy is a testament to the growing prominence of para-sports in India and the country's commitment to supporting athletes and developing champions.
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'Quest for Fearless Shuttlers' programme
Para Badminton Academy's flagship programme, the Quest for Fearless Shuttlers, is an intensive training initiative designed to nurture and develop the next generation of para-badminton champions. This programme is an extensive talent identification and development pathway, offering a holistic approach to create a pipeline of talented para-athletes who can represent the country on the global stage.
The programme is structured into several phases, each with specific objectives to ensure a systematic and comprehensive development journey for the shuttlers. The initial phase involves a nationwide talent search, where scouts and coaches travel to various states to conduct trials and identify potential para-athletes. This extensive scouting process ensures that no stone is left unturned in the quest for raw talent, providing an opportunity for para-athletes from all corners of the country to be discovered.
Selected athletes are then invited to attend regional camps, where they undergo a comprehensive assessment. This includes not just technical and tactical evaluations but also physical and physiological tests to determine their overall fitness and potential in the sport. The regional camps also serve as a platform for coaches to impart fundamental skills and techniques, ensuring that the identified talent receives proper guidance from the very beginning of their journey.
The final phase of the programme involves a centralized training camp, bringing together the most promising para-athletes who have excelled in the regional camps. Here, they are exposed to a high-performance environment, with world-class coaching, sports science support, and state-of-the-art facilities. The centralized camp focuses on refining their technical skills, enhancing their tactical understanding, and improving their physical conditioning, all while fostering a mindset of discipline, dedication, and resilience.
Throughout the Quest for Fearless Shuttlers programme, para-athletes are provided with the necessary equipment and exposure to international-standard infrastructure. They receive regular assessments and feedback to track their progress, and they benefit from sports psychology sessions, nutritional guidance, and life skills development workshops. The programme also emphasizes the importance of education and ensures that the athletes' academic pursuits are supported and encouraged alongside their sporting ambitions.
By offering a structured and comprehensive development pathway, the Para Badminton Academy's Quest for Fearless Shuttlers programme aims to create a sustainable pipeline of talented para-badminton players, empowering them to pursue their sporting dreams and represent their country with pride on the international stage.
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Paralympic medal prospects
India's first para-badminton academy opened in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in January 2022. The centre was launched by Dronacharya awardee and head coach of the Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance.
The academy is a state-of-the-art, high-performance centre with advanced equipment and facilities. It consists of four courts, two with BWF-approved synthetic mats for standing athletes and two wooden courts for wheelchair athletes. The centre also has a fully-equipped gym, ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, jacuzzi hydrotherapy, and disabled-friendly rooms for athletes.
The aim of the academy is to improve India's medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, France. Top para-shuttlers and medal hopefuls at the 2024 Paralympics, Pramod Bhagat, Manoj Sarkar, Nitesh Kumar, Krishna Nagar, Nithya Sri and Palak Kohli, attended the launch ceremony.
Para-badminton made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, with Chinese and Japanese shuttlers thriving. The sport is governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, 120 athletes representing 31 nations will compete in 16 medal events.
Team USA's Miles Krajewski and Jayci Simon secured the first-ever Para-badminton medal for the country, winning silver in the mixed doubles.
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Frequently asked questions
The Para-Badminton Academy is located in Lucknow, India.
The Para-Badminton Academy aims to improve India's medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, France. It also seeks to discover and nurture new talent for the 2028 and 2032 Paralympic Games.
The Para-Badminton Academy has four courts, with two BWF-approved synthetic mats for standing athletes and two wooden courts for wheelchair athletes. It also has a fully-equipped gym, provisions for ice baths, steam baths, sauna baths, jacuzzi hydrotherapy, and disabled-friendly rooms for athletes to stay.
