Our vision is to make Odisha shuttlers’ hub in country, asserts Puneet Dalmia

BHUBANESWAR: As India is going to bid for Olympics in 2036, the nation can hope at least one shuttler from the Badminton High-Performance Centre (HPC), set up in collaboration with the Odisha government, brings home Olympic glory and this one-of-a-kind facility creates a robust talent pool, said managing director and CEO of Dalmia Bharat Group Puneet Dalmia.

Speaking to The New Indian Express on the sidelines of the HPC inauguration ceremony here on Thursday, Puneet said the HPC envisions to make Odisha a hub of badminton excellence and aspires to produce medal-winning athletes.

“A lot of Indian youth have dreams and aspirations to showcase their talents on the national and international stage. But they lack required facilities. This HPC will be a one-stop centre for these talents. The selection process will prioritise talent and commitment, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder promising athletes,” he said.

Built at a cost of around Rs 75 crore, the shuttle-shaped HPC boasts of world-class infrastructure and is considered one of the premier badminton facilities of the country. Renowned badminton player Pullela Gopichand, who has coached a number of Olympic medalists, will lead the operations.

The centre, Puneet said, will serve as a residential complex for budding players, offering holistic coaching that not only focuses on just the sport but also on the participants’ body, mind and soul.

“We would manage it for five years and hopefully the centre will be self-sustainable by then,” he said. Odisha, already a hub for hockey, is expected to draw badminton talents from across the country as the HPC will contribute to grassroots development by identifying and nurturing talent from rural and urban regions besides building a bunch of athletes capable of competing at the highest level.

“Badminton has come a long way in India as many have performed well at the international level. After cricket, badminton is taking off. This centre is not just an investment in sports but in India’s future. As we celebrate 75 years in Odisha, this is our way of giving back to the society with a sense of gratitude,” Puneet said.

The MD said with a carbon footprint at 460 kg per tonne of cement, Dalmia is one of the lowest carbon footprint cement producers globally. “Our carbon footprint is 30 per cent below the world average. Decarbonising the cement industry is the absolute key to reaching net zero emissions. We are now using 35 per cent renewable energy and it will be 100 per cent by 2030,” he said.

Apart from the sports, he said, DIKSHa and Gram Parivartan are two other flagship initiatives by the Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF) that focus on skill development and livelihood in rural and urban India. “We have mapped 86,400 families in 312 villages of the country to enhance their annual income up to `1 lakh,” Puneet added.