We've often wondered what it would take for India to start winning medals at Olympics consistently. We've often looked at the systems that the US of A or China have in place with envy. We've spoken about genes and how we are not a sporting nation. We've sat in our couches and pondered... and done nothing more. But Pulella Gopichand looked past all of that and decided to create a class of badminton players that will be second to none. It doesn't take a genius to figure that he's managed to succeed. In two consecutive Olympics, India has won medals. There are World Championship medals as well and Superseries titles to go with that. On the badminton circuit, India's system has attracted the attention of other nations as well, and he is just getting started.
So instead of having bumbling ministers, administrators and other random bureaucrats trying to change Indian sports, PM Modi needs to simply accept the Gopichand template and adopt it for every other sport in India. The training methods for different sports are, of course, varied - but this is more about having a system in place; a system that allows athletes to perform; a system that nurtures coaches too.

As things stand, no matter what the results are, the coaches in most sports just stay on. Athletes come and go but the coaches are like furniture. If our shooters failed to win a single medal (the NRAI president blames the coaches for India's shooters failing to win a single medal in Rio), who takes responsibility? If our athletes fail, who cops the blame? If our hockey team's medal drought continues, does anyone pay the price?

It is generally accepted that getting an Olympic medal is a 10-year job. From the moment you scout the right kind of talent to the maturing of that athlete, a coach needs to devote every day to making that player better. If you don't have the right kind of coach pushing the athletes, you will see no success. It's like having a car without wheels -- it may look good but is never going to go anywhere.
Athletes recognise this and that is why even in the moment of her greatest triumph, PV Sindhu singled out her coach for special praise.
"I think I'm here today because of him (Coach Gopichand)," she said after winning the silver medal. "I worked hard and he has been equally working harder and harder."
The same is true of the coaches who helped Sakshi Malik, Abhinav Bindra, Dipa Karmakar or even Lalita Babar. At the highest level, all sports are based on teamwork -- on and off the field. So when we reward the athletes, let us not forget the coaches. That will give rise to a truly inclusive system that will help Indian sports grow out of this lethargy and find success that goes beyond the odd medal or two.