Coach Mulyo Handoyo returns to India, to be part of National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati

On Friday in Guwahati, the Assam Government and BAI will officially launch the NCE. The cutting-edge facility boasts a staggering 24 badminton courts, dormitory accommodations, a gym, and a yoga studio, with space for almost 3000 spectators. "BAI has big plans and this excellence center and the appointment of these three coaches -- Mulyo, Sozonov and Park is the first step," Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary, BAI told PTI.

"Hand-picked talents will be made part of this center and they will be given foreign exposure and every other necessary facility. We are grateful to our sponsors and partners for making this happen. I am confident in a year's time you will be able to see the impact and changes." Most Indian players have trained at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad and the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bangalore up to this point.

During his one-year tenure with the Indian national squad, the famous Mulyo, who is credited with guiding 2004 Olympic gold medalist Taufik Hidayat, had a significant influence. Kidambi Srikanth won four Super Series competitions while B Sai Praneeth won one during his presidency in 2017. In early 2018, after leaving his role, he joined the Singapore team.