Padukone severs tie with BAI

Though Prakash has cited personal reasons for resignation, reports in the press had it that he was not happy with the way the affairs of the BAI were being conducted. Prakash, who had played a key role in floating a rival organisation Indian Badminton Confederation protesting against the affairs of the BAI, three years ago, had refrained from commenting and had declined to be drawn into controversy.

Prakash, who had become the executive president as part of the patch-up, said “Over these three years, I have put in my full efforts and together with you (Verma) we have made significant gains for Indian badminton. However, over these same three years I have realised that handling the responsibility of the executive president of the BAI is not my forte. Consequently, I feel it is not advisable for me to continue under this burdern. I therefore submit my resignation.

Prakash, who has been successfully running an academy, said “What little I have been able to contribute to the BAI was only possible because of full cooperation I received from yourself and from every quarter of the BAI. Over these last three years, the BAI has made significant gains.”

Prakash said that he would devote more time to the Academy, which had produced international stars like P Gopichand and Aparna Popat. “By doing so, I hope, I will be able to make my small contribution to Indian badminton”, he added.

He hoped that Verma, who has been heading the organisation for the last three year, would take Indian badminton to greater heights.

Listing out the achievements, Prakash said that India hosted Thomas and Uber Cup preliminaries in which Indian men qualified for the main draw after a gap of 12 years. Besides Indians winning four medals in Commonwealth Games in 1998, Gopi Chand had won 1999 Scottish Open and Toulouse Open. Sachin Ratti won the 1999 New Zealand international and Siddarth Jain won the French Open 2000.

Former Internationals like Dinesh Khanna, Pradeep Gandhe and Partha Ganguly had been brought into the BAI.