India's Badminton Brain Drain: Coaching Crisis and Solutions

India faces a crisis with the exodus of skilled badminton coaches seeking better-paying roles abroad. The Badminton Association of India plans salary hikes to retain them. Despite hiring foreign coaches, there's a call to elevate native talent like Anup Sridhar and emphasize homegrown expertise.

India's badminton scene is witnessing a troubling trend: a steady exodus of its homegrown coaching talent lured by better salaries abroad, particularly in the U.S. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is taking proactive steps to curb this brain drain, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The primary solution proposed is a significant salary hike for Indian coaches in the national camp. Over the past few years, prominent figures like Parupalli Kashyap and RMV Gurusaidutt have transitioned into full-time coaching. Despite this, the lure of attractive salaries abroad has seen many renowned coaches leave the Indian setup.

BAI Secretary Sanjay Mishra acknowledges the issue and is exploring plans to boost salaries for Indian coaches to keep them within the national framework. However, opinions are divided on the effectiveness of such measures, as former players argue for better recognition and integration of domestic talent into national roles.

(With inputs from agencies.)