Shuttler's Flick - Making Every Match Count - Priya Kumar & Pullela Gopichand
I just know Gopichand as the Chief Coach for the Indian Badminton team, recipient of several awards and reading this book gave me a greater insight into his life, from his childhood to the person he is today!
Blurb:
'But the return is not always easy, especially when the world has moved on without you when the people who were rooting for you have now found other heroes to support.'When Pullela Gopichand had to undergo a risky arthroscopic surgery, chances of his full recovery were not great. His return to the badminton court seemed a far-fetched dream. The odds were stacked against him. Then, in 1998, he won the bronze in the Commonwealth Games. His biggest win was yet to come. In 2001, Pullela became the second Indian to win the All England Championship.
This is the story we know. From not being able to walk to winning the most prestigious title in badminton, this is Pullela the player. But his success hasn’t stopped at just him. The Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, set up in 2008, boasts of a host of World No. 1s including Saina Nehwal and Srikanth Kidambi and World Badminton Champion PV Sindhu. What is it about his teachings that propel players right to the top?
In his official autobiography, we meet Pullela the coach. Through his own voice, as well as those of his students, mother, and wife, we get a look at the mind that revolutionized the game. We are shown not only what it takes to get to the top, but also, and more importantly, how to stay there.
With the principles of his play laid bare, we are invited to apply them to our own everyday lives. In doing so, we ask questions, take accountability for our actions and perhaps find the answer to the greatest question of all—what does it take to become a champion?
The book starts with the narration
of the events of the match between the Chinese Shuttler Chen Hong and Gopichand
in 2001 and later moves on to his childhood and the subsequent journey. Two
parts are covered in this book – his life as a player and then as a coach
A major knee injury during the
1994 Pune National games left him shattered and had a long road to recovery.
But he came back with a bang, becoming the second Indian to win the title at
the All England Men’s Singles Championship. The snide remarks from his fellow
players and well-wishers after the injury did not deter him and he showed great
perseverance in getting back to form and this led to his win.
The book not only tells you the
life of Gopichand but also shows us what kind of person he was. His principles
and practices, disciplined lifestyle, hard work are what made him the person he
is today. He has shared a lot of leadership as well as life lessons in this
book.
Gopichands dedication and
sincerity have given us a lot of medal-winning champions and he shares with us
the secrets to his success and the paths that led to it. His family, right from his parents
sacrificing a lot during his training years, to his wife, who is also a
national champion, is the backbone to his success. Though he is a coach, his
children train under different coaches at the Academy and he doesn’t discuss
the game with them as he wants them to see him as a father rather than a coach.
This book has styles of narration
styles that make it an interesting read. A third-person narrative through
author Priya Kumar’s voice and a first-person narrative through Gopichand’s
voice. This gives us a view of what people around him thought and how Gopichand
felt /what his emotions were at that particular situation. Apart from his view,
we also get to read the views of his students, mentor, wife, and mother.
There are photographs of his
journey through his career as a player and as a coach. The ‘Your serve’ section
after each chapter gives the reader snippets of knowledge and leadership goals/
quotes -something to make you a better person. The ‘Your solitude, Your Truth’
section has questions that need to be pondered.
The Bonus Chapters- Physical
Literacy and the Role of parents in preparing Champion is the icing on the
cake. It is suitable not only for sportsperson but for everyone who is striving
to be a champion in their field.
Some of the quotes that I liked
are –
•No one can waste your time
without your permission.
•Use adversity to discover more of
yourself. When everything is comfortable, there is no drive for change.
•Get a coach, mentor, a guru. When
in doubt, their timely advice, help, and perspective will save you years of
setbacks.
•When on the pedestal of success,
work the hardest you have.
•The odds will always be against
you.
This book would appeal to readers
who enjoy reading about leadership, self-help, getting to know personalities,
and someone interested in sports. A wonderful read that will give you a good
account of the life and struggles of the Champion and also leave you with a lot
of insights on how to be a better you and attain success.
Gopichand is married to former Olympian PVV Lakshmi and they have two children, Gayathri and Sai Vishnu. He has been awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Arjuna, Dronacharya, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, and Rashtriya Khel Protsaha awards.
Priya Kumar is an Indian writer, motivational speaker, and firewalk instructor with over 26 years of corporate training experience. She has worked with over 2000 multi-national corporates across 47 countries and is the author of 15 inspirational books. Priya's work has been featured extensively in the media and she has been a guest on several business businesses, entertainment, and reality shows. Her book License to Live was nominated for Vodafone Crossword Book Award in 2010. In 2019, her novel I Will Go with You was adapted into the web television series The Final Call.
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