The force that propels Lakshya forward: Lakshya Sen was inconsolable, coach Vimal Kumar was furious, and it appeared as though the game might be lost. The Indian was behind Anders Antonsen in the second round of the All England this year. Lakshya was receiving severe consequences for her mistakes, and the Dane was in excellent form.
“My mind was scattered, even though Vimal Sir was offering me advice. He was upset and furious that I was making such simple mistakes. We had a brief conversation because I was also furious. After trailing 2–8 in the final, Lakshya produced a stunning comeback to go to the quarterfinals. On match-point, Antonsen sprayed the shuttle wide, and Lakshya fell to his knees before running to a delighted and anticipatory Vimal. He hugged me so tightly and told me to play like this even though I was upset with me.
When Lakshya entered Vimal’s office at the Karnataka Badminton Association in Bengaluru at the age of 10, he was barely tall enough to reach the table and stealthily gave him a scribbled letter. The childlike handwriting conveyed meaning. Lakshya talked about losing a few times with partner Bodhit Joshi to the duo of Siril Varma and Kanishq, replete with scoreline data.
“I was surprised and impressed that he wanted to join the academy and get better just to beat them,” Vimal comments.
Later that year, Lakshya turned into the junior world No. 1 at the junior nationals, exacting revenge against Varma-Kanishq. Lakshya was only 15 years old. Since then, he has placed in the top ten in singles, won a medal at the Worlds, finished second in All England, and is now preparing for his first Olympics. Vimal has been there for Lakshya throughout his journey, from a stubborn 10-year-old to a 22-year-old who can take down big names and conjure medals and comebacks. The person who watches sketchy live match YouTube feeds or stands courtside with nerves in his stomach and yells at his screen.
“Vimal, sir, has a lot of emotion on occasion. I could tell he wasn’t happy during recent events when I wasn’t performing well.
Vimal was a rebel in his own time. He spent a few years living alone in England, playing badminton and waiting tables, giving up his opportunity to attend medical school. When his entry was excluded from tournaments, he rebelled and wrote to the Badminton Association of India (BAI), demanding that he be given the opportunity to collect his prize money directly from events, without having to travel through India. Back when Prakash Padukone was all the rage, he was ranked in the top twenty. In 1994, the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy was established by them both.
“I know no one who loves badminton more than Vimal Sir. He acts like a child when watching matches at home, jumping up and down. He will return to the playing hall to watch other matches when we travel together for tournaments. The rest of us go to our rooms or leave after our bouts and meals.
Vimal detests blind obedience since, as a young player, he refused to submit to authority. That could help to explain why, unlike many overwhelming dynamics that can develop when athletes move from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, his connection with Lakshya continues to be free of them.
“Everything a coach says shouldn’t require you to nod,” Vimal said. “I detest it when a great player does that.” You ought to be aware of what suits you personally. “You should challenge me, argue with me, don’t just blindly agree with me,” is what I usually tell Lakshya.
“Athletes bear the brunt of the support system—perhaps as little as 10% comes from coaching. Take good care of your body, and if the chance arises, go train with other elite players. Don’t stress over trivial matters like other people learning how to play your game. Just put in the necessary effort and don’t depend too much on sponsors, parents, coaches, or other authority figures.
Along with three other academy classmates, Lakshya was moved to the Danish town of Aarhus five years ago while she was still a teenager. They played for a neighbourhood club, did their own laundry and dishes, lived in a dorm, and got into fights with Danes. Sometimes he would question why he was going through this. Vimal chuckles, “I don’t believe he enjoyed cleaning the dishes too much. Lakshya’s development was supervised by Padukone’s former world No. 1 opponent, close friend, and adversary Morten Frost, who often escorted him to matches. When Lakshya was living in Denmark, he took home his first BWF World Tour championship.
After the epidemic break, Vimal believed Lakshya needed to take a few more actions. Lakshya recalls, “I was at places where no other Indian player was around. It was a conscious decision that I should travel alone for a few tournaments without a coach or physio and learn to manage by myself.” I would play my matches, return, eat, train, and tend to my recuperation. We wanted to be ready in case I couldn’t bring anyone with me to the Olympics.
In the last several years, endorsement deals have increased along with Lakshya’s brand. “The one thing Vimal Sir taught me right away is that whenever I start making enough money, I should learn to put money back into sports. OGQ has been incredibly giving in their assistance. However, occasionally I buy things for myself if I need them for my training.
Vimal and Lakshya are currently undergoing pre-Olympic training in Marseille before travelling to Paris. Lakshya’s hunger for great victories is one of his strengths, according to Vimal. He tells him, “You’re training and playing well and have as good a chance as anybody else.” This time, a medal might or might not appear. Naturally, if you ask me, I’d say that I’m hoping for this chance.
