>DEFCON5: /* Playing career */ Removed MOS:PUFFERY

2021-06-21T05:03:51Z

Playing career: Removed MOS:PUFFERY

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{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Family name hatnote|Pullela|lang=Telugu}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox badminton player
| name = Pullela Gopichand
| image = Pullela Gopichand 2016 (cropped).jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|11|16}}
| birth_place = [[Nagandla]], [[Prakasam district|Prakasam]]<br />[[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| residence =
| height = {{convert|1.82|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Pulella Gopichand |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/go/pulella-gopichand-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418031619/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/go/pulella-gopichand-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=6 March 2016}}</ref>
| weight = 68 kg
| event = Men's Singles
| highest_ranking = 5<ref name="bwf">{{cite web |url=http://old.internationalbadminton.org/histranking.asp?rankno=275&id=1 |title=Historical Ranking |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=7 February 2010 }}{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| highest_ranking_date = 15 March 2001
| country = [[India]]
| coach =
| handedness = Right
| medals =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[badminton]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Badminton Asia Championships|Asian Championships]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2000 Asian Badminton Championships|2000 Jakarta]] | Men's singles }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Badminton at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | [[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|Men's team]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | [[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|Men's singles]] }}
| bwf_id = F7C6507E-3CF9-4CA5-B2B2-657C934CC8A5
}}

'''Pullela Gopichand''' (born 16 November 1973) is a former [[India]]n badminton player. Currently, he is the Chief National Coach for the [[India national badminton team]]. He won the [[All England Open Badminton Championships]] in 2001<ref name="mapsofindia">{{cite web |url=http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/sports/pulella-gopichand.html |title=Pulella Gopichand |publisher=mapsofindia.com |access-date=7 February 2010}}</ref> becoming the second Indian to achieve this feat after [[Prakash Padukone]].<ref name="toi_dec02">{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/P-Gopichand/articleshow/30977688.cms |title=P Gopichand |date=11 December 2002 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="GBA">{{cite web |url=http://www.pgba.in/abt_gopi.html |title=Pullela Gopichand – The Founder |publisher=Gopichand Badminton Academy |access-date=7 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224093210/http://www.pgba.in/abt_gopi.html |archive-date=24 February 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He runs the [[Gopichand Badminton Academy]].<ref name="GBA" /> He received the [[Arjuna Award]] in 1999, the [[Dronacharya Award]] in 2009 and the [[Padma Bhushan]] – India's third highest civilian award – in 2014.<ref name="LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS">{{cite web |url=http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm |title=LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS |access-date=12 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225221945/http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm |archive-date=25 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="Biharprabha News">{{cite web |title=Pullela Gopichand thanks Badminton Fraternity for Padma Bhushan |url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/01/pullela-gopichand-thanks-badminton-fraternity-for-padma-bhushan/ |work=IANS |publisher=Biharprabha News |access-date=25 January 2014}}</ref>

==Early life==
Pullela Gopichand was born on 16 November 1973 in near to Chirala Town to Mr. Pullela Subash Chandra and Mrs. Pullela Subbaravamma, in [[Prakasam district]], [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="webindia">{{cite web |url=http://www.webindia123.com/personal/sports/gopi.htm |title=Pullela Gopichand – Badminton Player |publisher=webindia123.com |access-date=7 February 2010}}</ref> Initially, he was interested in playing cricket, but his elder brother encouraged him to take up badminton instead.<ref name="webindia" /> His family settled in [[Nizamabad, Telangana|Nizamabad]] for a while. He did his schooling from [[St. Paul's High School, Hyderabad]]. He joined [[A. V. College]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] and graduated in public administration. He was the captain of the Indian combined universities badminton team in 1990 and 1991.

==Playing career==
Pullela was coached by [[S. M. Arif]] before [[Prakash Padukone]] accepted him at Prakash Padukone academy [http://www.ppba.in/Prakash]. He also trained under Ganguly Prasad at the [[Sports Authority of India|SAI]] [[Bangalore]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/mar/11arif.htm |title=His hard work and dedication has paid off |date=11 March 2001 |work=The Tribune |access-date=12 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010415/cth3.htm |title=Still a crusader |date=15 April 2001 |work=The Tribune |access-date=12 February 2010}}</ref> Pullela won his first National Badminton Championship title in 1996, and went on to win the title five times in a row, until 2000. He won two gold and one silver at the Indian national games, 1998 held at [[Imphal]]. At the international level, he represented India in 3 Thomas Cup tournaments. In 1996 he won a gold in the SAARC badminton tournament at [[Vijayawada]] and defended the crown in the next games held at Colombo in 1997. At the [[1998 Commonwealth Games]], he won a silver in the team event and a bronze in men's singles.

In 1999, he won the Toulouse open championship in [[France]] and the Scottish open championship in [[Scotland]]. He also emerged winner at the Asian satellite tournament held at [[Hyderabad]] in the same year, and lost in the final match of the German grand prix championship.

In 2001, he won the [[2001 All England Open Badminton Championships|All England Open Badminton Championships]] at Birmingham. He defeated then world number one [[Peter Gade]] in the semi-finals before defeating [[Chen Hong (badminton)|Chen Hong]] of China to lift the trophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/mar/10gopi.htm|title=Gopichand enters All-England final|last=Our Correspondent in Birmingham|date=10 March 2001|website=rediff.com|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref> He became the second Indian to achieve the feat after [[Prakash Padukone]], who won in 1980.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050126/sports.htm |date=26 January 2005 |title=Randhawa's wait for Padma Shri ends |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |access-date=12 February 2010}}</ref>

== Achievements ==
=== Asian Championships ===
''Men's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | [[2000 Asian Badminton Championships|2000]]
| align="left" | [[Istora Gelora Bung Karno|Istora Senayan]], [[Jakarta]], [[Indonesia]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|INA}} [[Taufik Hidayat]]
| align="left" | 4–15, 12–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | [[File:Med 3.png|Bronze]] '''Bronze'''
|}

=== Commonwealth Games ===
''Men's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#FFE4B5"
| align="center" |[[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]]
| align="left" |[[Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|MAS}} [[Wong Choong Hann]]
| align="left" | 1–15, 11–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | [[File:Med 3.png|Bronze]] '''Bronze'''
|}

=== IBF World Grand Prix ===
The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

''Men's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Tournament
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 1997
| align="left" | [[India Open (badminton)|India Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|INA}} [[Hariyanto Arbi]]
| align="center" | 4–15, 7–15<ref>{{cite web |title=India Open 1997 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=781B0B7D-7730-4452-87EE-F1FF7C212A44&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | [[French Open (badminton)|French Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Chen Gang (badminton)|Chen Gang]]
| align="center" | 8–15, 15–10, 10–15<ref>{{cite web |title=French Open 1999 (I): Draws: MS |url=http://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=1BE96020-F73B-449A-A3B5-D32D48E18ED3&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=1 February 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | [[German Open (badminton)|German Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Xia Xuanze]]
| align="center" | 3–15, 15–13, 4–15<ref>{{cite web |title=German Open 1999 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=61C56D98-0E07-45CE-AAA5-8F52B2A8A302&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | [[2001 All England Open Badminton Championships|2001]]
| align="left" | [[All England Open Badminton Championships|All England Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Chen Hong (badminton)|Chen Hong]]
| align="center" | 15–12, 15–6<ref>{{cite web |title=All England Open 2001 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=4EDDF6FD-8308-43B8-A6E9-F435B5C79E55&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|}

=== IBF International ===

''Men's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Tournament
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | [[Le Volant d'Or de Toulouse]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Richard Vaughan (badminton)|Richard Vaughan]]
| align="center" | 15–13, 14–15, 15–6<ref>{{cite web |title=Open de Toulouse Int 99 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=4ADC67AE-0B2D-4F35-8A4D-B07CD7C9D7B7&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | [[Scottish Open (badminton)|Scottish Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|IND}} [[Siddharth Jain]]
| align="center" | 15–7, 15–10<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Int 1999 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=9CDE322D-08A9-468B-B745-7247518F00C8&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1999
| align="left" | [[India International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|IND}} [[Ajit Wijetilek]]
| align="center" | 15–6, 15–13<ref>{{cite web |title=India International 99 (I): Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=19B1848F-EF2C-499B-9BDD-5E2ACF881570&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 2004
| align="left" | [[India Asian Satellite]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|IND}} [[J. B. S. Vidyadhar]]
| align="center" | 15–6, 15–1<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian Asian Satellite 2004: Draws: MS |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/draw.aspx?id=D1E104F1-D194-4E3D-8BF3-4A44A2997830&draw=1 |publisher=[[Badminton World Federation]] |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|}

==Coaching career==
[[File:Badminton Player Srikanth Kidambi along with Pullela Gopichand calling on the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (IC), Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Vijay Goel, in New Delhi.jpg|thumb|Pullela (left) and [[Kidambi Srikanth]] (middle) with the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Vijay Goel, c. 2017.]]
After retiring from his playing career, Pullela founded the [[Gopichand Badminton Academy]] in 2008, after reportedly mortgaging his own house.<ref name="gopirio">{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thread/sports/article9011704.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |title=How Indian badminton rocketed on the Gopichand shuttle |access-date=20 August 2016 |date=20 August 2016}}</ref> [[Nimmagadda Prasad]], a renowned industrialist donated {{INRConvert|50|m}} on a condition to win a medal for India at Olympics in badminton.<ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/All-that-went-into-the-making-of-Gopichand-Academy/article14593383.ece]</ref> The academy produced several badminton players including [[Saina Nehwal]], [[P. V. Sindhu]], [[Sai Praneeth]], [[Parupalli Kashyap]], [[Srikanth Kidambi]], [[Arundhati Pantawane]], [[Gurusai Datt]] and [[Arun Vishnu]].<ref name="saidutt">{{cite news |last=Dua |first=Aarti |title=Star maker |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100801/jsp/graphiti/story_12750158.jsp |access-date=15 October 2010 |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=1 August 2010}}</ref> Saina Nehwal went on to win the bronze medal at the [[2012 London Olympics|2012 Summer Olympics]] and [[P. V. Sindhu]] the silver medal at the [[2016 Rio Olympics|2016 Summer Olympics]] and first Indian to win the BWF World Championships. Pullela also served as the official Indian Olympic Badminton Team coach at the 2016 [[Brazil]]'s [[Rio Olympic]].<ref name="gopirio" />

==Awards and honours==
[[File:The well-known Badminton player Shri Pullela Gopi Chand receives the Padma Shri award from the President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi on March 28, 2005.jpg|thumb|Pullela (left) is awarded the [[Padma Shri]] by President [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]], c. 2005.]]
* [[Arjuna Award]], 1999.<ref name="LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS" />
* [[Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna]], 2001 <ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/rajiv-gandhi-khel-ratna-awards-full-list-of-winners-1353205-2018-10-01]</ref>
* [[Padma Shri]], 2005<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>
* [[Dronacharya Award]], 2009 <ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/Dronacharya-award-is-a-responsibility-Gopichand/articleshow/4804436.cms]</ref>
* [[Padma Bhushan]], 2014<ref name="Biharprabha News" />
* Rewards for Coaching the silver medal Winner at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics
* {{INRConvert|10|m}} Reward from [[Government of Telangana|Telangana Government]]
* {{INRConvert|1|m}} from [[Badminton Association of India]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mykhel.com/badminton/rio-2016-bai-announces-cash-awards-sindhu-gopichand-014598.html|title=Rio 2016: BAI announces cash awards for 'Silver' Sindhu, Coach Gopichand|last=IANS|date=2016-08-19|website=mykhel.com|language=en|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
* {{INRConvert|5|m}} Reward from Andhra pradesh Government
* {{INRConvert|1|m}} from [[Badminton Association of India]]
* Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2013, under Category Establishment and Management of Sports Academies of Excellence- Pullela Gopichand Academy of Badminton, [[Hyderabad]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=98962|title=National Sports Awards to be Presented on 31st August, 2013|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
* He was bestowed upon an honorary doctorate by [[IIT Kanpur]] on the occasion of their 52nd Convocation.

==Personal life==
Pullela married fellow badminton player [[P. V. V. Lakshmi]] on 5 June 2002.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2002/jun/05gopi.htm |title=Gopichand to wed Lakshmi}}</ref> They have two children, a daughter named [[Gayathri Gopichand|Gayathri]] and a son.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{BWF|F7C6507E-3CF9-4CA5-B2B2-657C934CC8A5|PULLELA Gopichand}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}
{{Footer All England Open Championships Badminton Singles Men}}
{{Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2010–19}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pullela, Gopichand}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male badminton players]]
[[Category:Indian sports coaches]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:Indian national badminton champions]]
[[Category:Racket sportspeople from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Badminton coaches]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:People from Prakasam district]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for India]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Dronacharya Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in sports]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in badminton]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Olympic badminton players of India]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Asian Games competitors for India]]
[[Category:Indian badminton coaches]]

Pullela Gopichand - Revision history

>DEFCON5: /* Playing career */ Removed MOS:PUFFERY