2024 Paris Olympics: Prakash Padukone to mentor Indian badminton contingent, to travel with team

Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone will travel with the Indian badminton squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics as a mentor for the contingent.

The 15-member badminton squad comprises seven players and eight support staff, including the mentor, coaches and physios.

Along with Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand, R Gurusaidutt, Agus Santosa, Vimal Kumar and Mathias Boe will travel as coaches. Zeinia Samar and Kiran C will be the physiotherapists for the contingent.

The Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru has shaped many champions, including Lakshya Sen. India’s top-ranked women’s badminton player, PV Sindhu, is currently training with Prakash Padukone and Agus Santosa in Bengaluru ahead of the Paris Olympics. This will be Sindhu’s third Olympics. She won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, while she won the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Gopichand is travelling in the capacity of India’s national chief coach, while Gurusaidutt is HS Prannoy’s coach.

Mathias Boe is the Indian doubles coach and is coaching Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, along with the women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto.

Vimal Kumar, who is India’s former coach, is currently training Lakshya Sen.

The badminton events at the 2024 Paris Olympics will commence on July 27 and the gold medal matches are scheduled on August 5.