The common thing about these commuters is that after making their mark at junior level in the state, all four left Kerala to settle in badminton centers in Hyderabad and Bengaluru to boost their careers.
Prannoy, who is the flag bearer for commuters in Kerala these days, believes that leaving the state has helped him and his contemporaries succeed in badminton since the state gives less support to commuters.
“Our state used to have a reputation for producing the best commuters in the country. Even today, I believe Kerala has the best talent in the sport in India. But I don’t see any of them going to be big anytime soon” India’s top male commuter, who is ranked No. 8 in the world, shares his fears with YOU.
“The game has become very expensive these days. Parents find it difficult to translate their children’s dream into reality. Parents generally support young commuters until the age of 16, but after that, the graph spending starts to climb, and players find it difficult to advance their careers without sponsors, and eventually the majority of them are forced to give up their dreams halfway through,” adds Prannoy.
The Thiruvananthapuram native believes that the number of commuters turning professional will decrease if they don’t get the right kind of support. “There is no dearth of boot camps in Kerala during the summer holidays. But the question is how many of them take it seriously and turn professional. We can’t blame them. because the game has changed a lot, and now they need huge financial support at the start itself to take their game to the next level.
“The solution is to find financial support from various sectors of society, including businesses and the respective state governments. For example, in Odisha, the state government funds badminton like many other sports. in Kerala, unfortunately, nothing like that happens. Commuters have to find their own way to the top league,” Prannoy added.
Meanwhile, Kerala Badminton (Shuttle) Association (KBSC) Secretary R Rakesh Kumar said the association is doing its best to give maximum exposure to the players. “Players like Kiran George, MR Arjun or Treesa received financial support when they were playing well in the national circuit,” he said. “State support is different in different states. In Kerala, the state association sends selected U-15 players every year for a two-week training camp in Indonesia. Players like MR Arjun and Kiran Georges were part of this program early in their careers,” Rakesh pointed out.
