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Kidambi Srikanth and PV Sindhu enjoy recognition, call it success for Indian badminton

Pullela Gopichand said the growth of Indian badminton in the past few years and that being steered by the men's singles success this year has helped the sport grow immensely in India.

Gopichand believes that with the showing of the singles players this year, the upcoming generation will have role models as they prepare to take up badminton as a serious career choice.

"Badminton has only grown in the past few years, getting better each year. It's good to see the women do well but this year the men have done very well. Srikanth, Prannoy, Sai, the kind of tournament they have won gives me a lot of confidence on the abilities of our players.

"More importantly, the next generation will have role models in men's singles and women's singles and even doubles, who have done well this year. It's actually very good for the sport of badminton," Gopichand said in an exclusive conversation with India Today's Boria Majumdar.

PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth echoed Gopichand's point of view and expressed their happiness over the growth of badminton in the country.

Srikanth even went on to add that when he has fans coming along for pictures, he feels elated being part of the transition and success of badminton in India.

"I definitely feel India is doing very well because earlier there was just one Saina, one Sindhu and then one Srikanth but now there are many more players, which is also very good for the sport. You see five or so players in the top 50, Prannoy has done really well and then Sai (Praneeth) and then Sameer and more. We have been doing well and I think we will do much better in the coming years," Sindhu said to India Today's Boria Majumdar.

"I am liking being recognised and loved because when I started playing the sport, it wasn't that popular but since the last 5-6 years, the sport has come a long way and I am really happy to be a part of it and see the transition. Now when I go out, people do come for pictures and it is happening because people have started to follow badminton and I feel it's success for the sport," Srikanth said to India Today.

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