Rs 9.75 crore BAI plan to boost grassroots, support coaches and reward medallists

New Delhi: Offering monthly retainers to former international coaches, doubling domestic tournament prize money and rewarding international medal-winning performances are part of an investment plan announced by the Badminton Association of India (BAI) as it unveiled a Rs 9.75 crore annual plan to drive the growth of sport in the country.

The decision was taken at BAI’s Annual General Body Meeting held in the national capital on Saturday.

With an eye on long-term talent development and international success, the federation allocated Rs 73 lakh to offer monthly retainers to Olympians and former internationals who are now training players at national camps, and earmarked Rs 2.22 crore as direct rewards for Indian shuttlers who win medals at prestigious global events.

Out of the Rs 9.75 crore which BAI will spend annually for grassroots initiatives and to help state associations conduct domestic tournaments, the total prize pool and grant allocation for national tournaments stands at Rs 3.8 crore.

Under the revised structure, annual grants to state associations have been increased from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. BAI will also provide additional support for organising national ranking tournaments across age groups — Rs 3 lakh for U-15 and U-17 events, Rs 2 lakh for Senior and U-19, and Rs 1.5 lakh for U-13.

“Given the size of our country, one NCE was never going to be enough and hence we are providing grants to state associations to come up with development across the state and the current increase in grant will help them enhance their existing programs,” said BAI president Himanta Biswa Sarma.

To enhance domestic competition, prize money for national ranking tournaments has been doubled. Senior national ranking events will now offer Rs 10 lakh in prize money, while U-19 events will get Rs 8 lakh, U-15 and U-17 Rs 12 lakh, and U-13 Rs 6 lakh.

The total allocation for all National Championships has jumped from Rs 2.13 crore to Rs 3.2 crore, with the Senior Nationals alone seeing an increase from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

BAI has also made financial provisions for paying Rs 1 lakh per month to Olympians and Rs 50,000 per month to coaches who have represented the official Indian team in international events and are currently coaching at National Camps held across three locations.

To reward international excellence, a cash prize of Rs 20 lakh will be given to a World Championship gold medallist, Rs 10 lakh for a BWF Super 1000 title, and Rs 50 lakh for a team gold at the senior level.

Junior team golds will attract Rs 30 lakh, while individual gold medallists at junior World and Asian Championships will receive Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh respectively.

"The needs of up-and-coming players, motivating them and providing them better financial incentives was critical for the development of the sport and chart out a pathway through which the future course,” said Sarma.