After P V Sindhu, who will be the next star in Indian women's badminton?

Women's badminton faces uncertainty due to a shrinking talent pool, lack of quality coaches, and overreliance on Gopichand

Over the past two decades, thousands of parents have embarked on a journey of hope with their daughters. They navigate through the obdurate traffic in Hyderabad’s Gachibowli area, snake past the towering tech hubs in Cyberabad, and finally arrive at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy.

 

This bustling state-of-the-art centre built by Pullela Gopichand, the soft-spoken bona fide Dronacharya of Indian badminton, also fondly known as Gopi sir, is a beacon of aspiration for these parents. This hallowed turf has witnessed the metamorphosis of Saina Nehwal, Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponappa, and P V Sindhu from anonymous aspirants into world champions. 

At