There is no doubt that the sporting personality of 2021 in the Indian sports scene, in abled or differently-abled events has to be the chief coach of Indian para-badminton players, who ruled the para-badminton world with a ruthless vice-like grip, is Gaurav Khanna. Under his tutelage and guidance not only we got two gold’s and a silver medal ln the Tokyo Paralympics, but a month later in Uganda international para-badminton championship India got a mind-boggling 47 medals.
As if this was not enough, the squad playing in the Asia youth para games in Bahrein, swept away the podium with 16 medals. For 2022, the BWF has announced a new system will take place under which there will be three levels of events. Level one will be for higher ranked players who can participate in and earn a higher number of points for world rankings, level two and three will be proportionally lesser and lesser.
With as many as 22 events (as announced by BWF) in a year, it is imperative that the selection of events has to be correct and players to be guided accordingly and the rest period to recuperate also looked into so that fitness is maintained. Another aspect that Gaurav has to oversee is to ensure there is a strong second line of players who can take over from likes of Pramod Bhagat, Manoj Sircar and other ageing para superstars.
Says Gaurav, “I think these two great players will not retire so soon. But if any new faces emerge who are as good then we will surely consider, as they will become leaders for future. But to establish themselves they have to defeat the stalwarts. Let’s see what happens in the national championship that is going on right now.”
Gaurav Khanna has a very keen eye and knack to spot talent. There is no system till now to get the new talented players into training. Till now he himself did not go about systematically in spotting future champions. It was luck that he spotted Palak Kohli in a Mall and approached her to join his academy. Manoj got in touch personally. Sanjana Kumari approached Gaurav on Instagram. Within a year she was good enough to claim three medals at the Asian youth para meet in Bahrain.
“I have been lucky so far but I have to plan for not only Paris in 2024, but 2028 and 2032. So I have to get some really keen but young kids interested in the game and then groom them for the three Olympics I mentioned above.” Gaurav realises that he has to take some concrete steps to spot talent so after much hunting around he is going to tie up with an agency which will help him in running the para-badminton and priority will be to organise a talent hunt. Once selected we will extend a hand to the selected players by inviting them to my academy, and then As the professional coach and para expert of this academy, slowly grind them hard to become champions.
2021 was a runaway success for the Indian para squad. They picked up bucket full of medals and raised the bar so high that others could not follow. What about themselves; can the Gaurav para squad emulate and transfer the 2021 success to 2022??
” I just do my job to the best of my abilities. I do not shirk corners. But fortune, luck and God also help me because I am sincere in what I do. We stay like a family in my academy which has all facilities required for para players. I will ensure that the rhythm I had so far in Coaching will remain same. And if I continue in same focus I can assure the country that we will win 8 medals at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. All things considered, we will do better than last year.”
The mystery of course is how he creates champions so fast. He says he just does his job to the best of his ability and leave rest to luck, fortune and God. I try to teach them to be technically correct. I also work on foresight.
The team was to leave for Spanish international para meet when the international flights got cancelled due to the rampaging pandemic. He realised that India also was a target since lockdown was imminent last year. Returning to Lucknow he made a self-bubble where the players all lived for months inside. He had everything required for para players and support staff like physios, trainers, masseurs, cooks.
All living together, helping each other in training and enjoy the game. The result was his players did not lose any training days and were in great form as they alighted in Tokyo. The rest is history. He tried to give them the best possible atmosphere to train in. And a Happy squad reciprocated his hard work by winning an insane number of international titles and medals.
What about sponsorships now that the para players have shown how to dominate the world para championship anywhere in the world. “No doubt the civic society looks at the para-athletes with much more respect now and indeed is willing to help them whenever help is required. The outcome of doing so well in international tournaments is so obvious; whereas the previous national championship did not see total entries more than 100 in any of three championship before. Today in the 2021 national event at Bhubaneswar, which is the fourth edition, some 500 para players have descended on the Odisha capital.
Sponsorship has also been available much more than in the past,” says Gaurav. But it still is more or less limited to already established athletes. Times are changing fast as more and more private sector and govt sector companies are looking to sponsor associations and/or individual players.
Meanwhile for Gaurav, things go on as he tries to adapt ways to train Indian para-badminton more efficiently, more aggressively and in a more comprehensive manner. The way it looks Gaurav’s devils are all set to leave 2021 far behind. They are bound to re-write history and make mother India proud.
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