Pullela Gopichand

1. Before Gopichand became a badminton legend, he nearly pursued cricket, but a nudge from his elder brother in Andhra Pradesh pivoted his destiny to the badminton court in the early 1980s. 2. 🏸 From 1996 to 2000, Gopichand dominated the Indian National Badminton Championships, clinching five consecutive titles — a rare feat that stamped his supremacy on the national stage. 3. 🌍 In 2001, at Birmingham, he stunned the world by defeating then world number one Peter Gade in the All England Open semi-finals, before claiming the championship, making him only the second Indian after Prakash Padukone to win this coveted title. 4. 💰 Risking everything, Gopichand mortgaged his own house in 2008 to build the Gopichand Badminton Academy, a daring move that would later nurture Olympic medalists like Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu. 5. 🏅 His coaching brilliance was internationally recognized when he received an Honorable Mention by the International Olympic Committee in 2019 — a rare accolade for an Indian coach. 6. Over two decades, Gopichand transformed Indian badminton from a fledgling sport into a global contender, mentoring athletes who brought home Olympic medals, all while holding the role of Chief National Coach since 2004. 7. ❓ How did a boy from a small village in Andhra Pradesh, initially drawn to cricket, become the architect behind India’s badminton revolution and a rare recipient of both top sports and civilian honors in the country?