Pullela Gopichand’s daughter Gayatri, a lanky 12-year-old shy and demure girl created history by becoming the youngest player to win two U-17 girls doubles titles in All India Junior (U-17 and U-19) Ranking Badminton tournament at Dehradun.
• On the seventh and concluding day of the ONGC Sidcul All India Junior (U-17 and U-19) Ranking Badminton tournament, Gayatri and her partner Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka defeated Ritika Thaker and Simran Singhi and won U-17 girls doubles title for the second time.
• Gayatri and Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka the talented duo had entered the record books for the first time with their maiden U-17 girls doubles All India title at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh on November 11, 2014.
• Gayatri has been training at her father’s academy in Hyderabad since the age of six. The young shuttler, attends Glendales School in Hyderabad, begins her day before 4 in the morning.
Badminton Association of India (BAI):
• Badminton Association of India (BAI) is the governing body badminton in India, Based in Lucknow.
• It was formed in 1934 and has been holding national-level tournaments in India since 1936.
• BAI has 28 state members that conduct badminton tournaments.
• India National Badminton team is currently ranked 9th in the World Teams Ranking.
• It has won 19 medals at the Commonwealth Games and 8 medals at the Asian Games along with 4 medals at the BWF World Championships and 1 medal at the Summer Olympics.
Pullela Gopichand:
• Pullela Gopichand is a former Indian badminton player.
• He received the Dronacharya Award in 2009 and Arjuna Award in 1999.
• He is the only Indian to win the teacher and student awards, and the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award in 2014.
• Pullela Gopichand was born on November 16, 1973 to Pullela Subash Chandra and Subbaravamma at Nagandla, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh.
• He runs the Gopichand Badminton Academy.