One of India’s finest badminton players & Arjuna awardee, Chirag Shetty (World Ranking No. 8) added a feather to his jeweled cap after team India’s glorious win at the Thomas Cup 2022 badminton championship.

 

To celebrate our completion of 12 years as a badminton academy, we had the pleasure of having Chirag in our excellence center, Golden Shuttle situated at Kottara Chowki, Mangalore. An elaborate ‘Meet & Greet’ program was organised by Golden Shuttle on 12^th February 2022 for all badminton enthusiasts in the city; followed by an exclusive dinner with the champ himself! The main motive for organising the ‘Meet & Greet’ program was to provide our kids & members with exposure to badminton at an international level; to learn and understand aspects that influenced Chirag’s career in badminton.

 

Along with Chirag Shetty, the ‘Meet & Greet’ program at Golden Shuttle, Mangalore was graced by his parents, Mr. Chandrashekar Shetty & Mrs. Sujata Shetty. One of the program’s highlights was the Q&A session; some key aspects from the session are mentioned further below. After an engrossing interactive session, our kids at Golden Shuttle had an opportunity to exchange a few shots with the ace shuttler. After addressing the press persons, autographed picture cards were given away to all the participants followed by a photography session with Chirag.

The event concluded with an exclusive dinner with Chirag and his family during which our logo for the Sudhir Ghate memorial Golden Shuttle Cup 2022 was unveiled by Mr. Chirag. The invitees had the opportunity to connect with Chirag at a personal level and gain further insights into the champion’s badminton career.

Excerpts from the Q&A session with Chirag Shetty & his parents

Q: At what age did you start playing badminton? How did you (Chirag) decide to choose a career in badminton?

Ans: I started playing badminton at the age of 7 years. Initially, I was very fond of cricket. Over time, I realized that I wanted to play an individual sport and hence I started badminton and gradually was more inclined towards it.

Q: What do you think about the importance of fitness for kids pursuing badminton?

Ans: Till the age of 18 years, we did not emphasise fitness a lot; the focus was on spending more time on the court and honing stroke skills. As a kid, I wanted to just play for however long I was allowed. An extreme level of fitness was not the need of the hour; however, I was fit enough to be able to win tournaments and continue working on my strokes. On entering the seniors’ team (after 18 years of age) fitness became extremely important. Our bodies almost develop completely by 18 years of age and the right fitness regimen can immensely help boost performances. Also, the sport demands an extreme level of fitness at the international level.

Q: How do you manage your strict fitness regimen, diet, and most importantly rest?

Ans: During our on-season, I have a very strict routine and we players spend most of our day in the Academy. We have a full-day regimen which is made considering our diet, rest required, and our upcoming tournament schedule. During our off-season, I tend to keep myself as disciplined as possible; I do indulge and enjoy the occasional outing with my friends & family. I make the most of my time at home by getting all the rest I can.

Q: What do you think about badminton in India?

Ans: I believe badminton has grown exponentially in India. As a kid, when I started playing access to good infrastructure was quite difficult and India had not achieved much in badminton, as compared to cricket. However, in the last 15 years, I have observed that badminton is booming – there are great courts in so many cities making quality badminton easily accessible. Additionally, the number of players pursuing the sport and planning a career in it is rising rapidly and steadily. At the current rate, badminton will definitely be one of the top sports in the country.

Q: As parents, what was your response to Chirag’s decision of pursuing badminton as a career?

Ans: Chirag did well in school and attended school regularly. As he developed an interest in badminton, he juggled his focus on both school & the sport equally. My wife and I have always supported Chirag in his pursuit and have supported him to make his mark in badminton. Parents today need to realise that their kids are children and not machines who can achieve glory in everything. Children are burdened with so many classes and are expected to outperform in all areas. Parents must realise the potential of their child and help achieve wonders in the field of their interest.

Q: What do you enjoy about Mangalore?

Ans: Mangalore is my hometown, I am from Yermal (near Padubidri). This is my first visit to Mangalore after having made it into the international circuit; I am visiting the city after 7 or 8 years. I enjoy the food here, Gadbad from Pabbas is one of my favourites. I will definitely try and visit Mangalore more often.