All my life I have struggled to get basic sports facilities, says Pullela Gopichand

The Andhra Pradesh government organised a workshop which was attended by the legendary shuttler and current coach of Indian badminton team - Pullela Gopichand. Gopichand had won the All England Badminton Championships back in 2001 and is a receiver of the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Dronacharya Awards.

Reflecting on his career as a badminton player, Gopichand mentioned that he had to struggle hard in order to acquire basic sports amenities. He feels happy that the present generation has been excused from experience such hardships.

“All my life I have struggled to get basic sports facilities. I am glad today's generation don't have to struggle for this. Sports today has great future," Gopichand said at the workshop, reported PTI.

“We need to ensure that kids taking sports need to be incentivised so that they can lead good life. Kids need to learn discipline and sports is fundamental for this.”

With the declaration of developing Amaravati as a sports city, Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Commissioner Sreedhar Cherukuri has stated that the project will be completed by 2021. They are aiming to develop Amaravati as a sports hub which will be capable of hosting Olympics as well.

“We are developing Sports City in Amaravati which will come in three phases and will comprise integrated sports hub spread in 20 acres with an estimated cost of Rs 1,400 crore, a multi-purpose sports stadium, multi-purpose training campus," Cherukuri said.

“Amaravati International Sports Complex, a Rs 60 crore complex, will also be built on 8.9 acres which will revolutionise sports in Andhra Pradesh. Phase I will be ready by 2021."