# First badminton academy opened by Malaysians in India
# Former internationals join forces to groom youngsters
# ‘Badminton is a serious game in India’ – K. Yogendran
# Enrolment of 220 students is a boost for NVBA Smashbounce Academy in Chennai
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Former internationals – K. Yogendran in partnership with Yeoh Kay Bin together with former Selangor player Manoj Kumar – have opened a new badminton academy in Chennai -NVBA Smashbounce – which will be officially launched on Jan 24.
This is the second badminton academy launched by the Malaysians overseas. Their first which is in Shenzen, China which was opened in January last year. The Shenzen academy is headed by former national coach Li Mao.
The trio also own the New Vision Badminton Academy in Section 13, Petaling Jaya. In the recent 12-team Purple League their team Petaling Jaya BC finished second
“Badminton is happening in India. The sport is a big thing in India where the parents take a very keen interest in their kids badminton career,” said Yogendran, who is in Penang for the Malaysian Masters Open Grand Prix Gold.
In the Malaysian Masters he played in the mixed doubles with Prajakta Sawant of India. The pair lost in the first round qualifier to China’s He Jiting-Du Yue 21-10, 21-11.
At the age of 34, Yogendran is still very much into competitive badminton and in the recently ended Purple League and the Champions Challenge, he fully stretched national players Zulfadli Zulkifli and Chong Wei Feng a run for their money in the Purple League and the Champions Challenge.
“Indians are coming in droves to learn badminton. Parents send their kids to badminton academies for training first before going to school. The first training is held from 4.30am to 6am. The second is from 6am to 7-30am.
“Parents in India make a lot of sacrifice to send their children for training and wait for them before they send them to school. That is badminton for you in India,” added Yogendran who quit the national squad in 2008 after 10 years.
Yogendran also revealed that currently there are six Malaysians training in the academy in Shenzen.
