DETERMINED DRONACHARYA

PULLELA GOPICHAND 44 Chief National Coach, Indian Badminton Team

Because he has mentored a crop of globally top ranking badminton players, like none has in the annals of an individual sport in India

Because he has transformed his training academy in Hyderabad into a medal factory, harvesting at least one from all major world competitions through his protégés—Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap

Because Indian shuttlers put up their best ever show at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, bagging the team gold, a gold and silver in women’s singles, a silver each in men’s singles and men’s doubles and a bronze in women’s doubles

ALL IN THE FAMILY Daughter Gayatri, 15, has won her first allIndia badminton tourney; son Sai, 13, is a budding star