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This is an archive article published on November 2, 1999

Middle class matters — Thane’s wealth of talent proves success formula

MUMBAI, nov 1: Proof that sport needs adequate support systems to flourish, is provided by Thane's vibrant badminton scene. Thane Badmint...

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MUMBAI, nov 1: Proof that sport needs adequate support systems to flourish, is provided by Thane’s vibrant badminton scene. Thane Badminton Association (TBA), beneficiary in a unique development scheme funded by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), is a reservoir of talent. It stands in contrast to district cousin Mumbai — fallen many notches from the not-so-distant past when it regularly produced national-level players.

The Maharashtra Sub-junior Nationals squad that left for Vijaywada last week is powered by Thane boys. Nagpur’s Amar Mohite, the top-ranked under-16 in the country, has honed his skills at TBA for four years. Nishad Dravid, among India’s top five sub-juniors, moved to Thane from Aurangabad, where there are few facilities for a rising shuttler.

The TBA stable boasts of current state junior champion Himanshu Thakkar, Mitesh Hazarnis, among the top five India juniors, and Amrish Shinde and Mayur Ghatnekar, ranked four in doubles in the country.

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They are products of the Syed Modi year-roundcoaching scheme, a 11-year-old TMC-funded project. But to understand why Thane is booming where Mumbai — which enjoys the coaching acumen of top former internationals like Uday Pawar, Sanjay Sharma and Leroy D’Sa — has declined, a short detour into class dynamics helps.

Past heavyweights of Indian badminton like Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi, to name two, have risen from the middle class. Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) President and former India player Pradeep Gandhe explains: “Luxury does not produce champions. Indonesian legend Rudy Hartono once told me, `unless you punish your body, you don’t succeed.”

Given the high cost of training in Mumbai, the sport has become the preserve of the affluent. “The prohibitive cost of shuttles, the money needed to hire courts for coaching, the high cost of coaching have spiralled over the years. A trainee has to shell out a minimum Rs 5,000 per month,” Gandhe says. Mumbai has pushed the middle class away from badminton.

The Thane District BadmintonAssociation (TDBA) has embraced it. Thane boys pay a maximum Rs 800 per month; the charges are lower for younger players, waived for deserving candidates. Salaries of coaches like Shrikant Vad come from the municipal grant. The scheme provides for a gymnasium, regular yoga sessions and a consulting psychiatrist.

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Vad, a joint secretary of the MBA, says, “the middle class can afford our moderate charges. That we take care of the individual needs of players also contributes to the health of the scheme.” The Khandu Rangnekar Hall at Dadoji Konddeo Stadium, where the scheme is housed, now teems with players. Top Mumbai players, like Neha Gangolli and Vikrant Patwardhan, train here occasionally, as they get a variety of players to spar with.

Himanshu Thakkar, shy and intense, is eloquent in praise. “Here it is a small family. All are willing to help each other, from the beginner to the best player. The training is affordable, the quality is excellent.”

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