Badminton on a revival mode with Project 2010

New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) Revival of the Indian Open, a new national coach in Pullela Gopichand, recruiting foreign coaches and an extensive training programme are high on the agenda as the Badminton Association of India (BAI) embarked on an ambitious ''Project 2010'' programme.

The association inked a sponsorship agreement with the Singapore-based Yonex-Sunrise here last night and with the Mittal Trust entering the trinity, badminton in the country is all set to get a huge fillip.

'''Project 2010 is aimed at getting one Gold, two Silver and as many Bronze medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games scheduled here.

Under the project, 32 players with the spark will be identified for a comprehensive training programme for the next four years. The programme includes model training and competition exposure. And with Mittal Trust stepping in, there will be no cap on a player's participation in tournaments abroad,'' BAI President VK Verma announced.

''Six top players will come here to spar with the Indian shuttlers, at least two months every year. Our players have benefited immensely from their sparring experience in Indonesia just before the Commonwealth Games and the results are very encouraging,'' he added.

Mr Verma also announced that the country would join the Asian Grand Prix calendar, reviving the Indian Open.

''Yonex felt it's high time we join the Asian circuit. Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore host Grand Prix tournaments but India is missing from the list. So we are reviving the Indian Open next year, it would be a 100,000 dollar five-star event,'' he added.

Naming Pullela Gopichand as the new national coach, to succeed Vimal Kumar, the BAI chief said, ''We have also decided to rope in two foreign coaches -- one for singles and another for doubles. In fact we will retain the Indonesia coach who has been with the team for the last two years and rope in a Chinese coach.'' ''We want to make badminton a movement and have our eyes set on the 2009 World Championship here and the Commonwealth Games next year. We have had modest results in the Thomas Cup and the Commonwealth Games but we want to break into the top four countries and with Yonex and the Mittal Trust ready to fuel the project, Indian badminton has better days ahead,'' he added.

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