Incorporating sports into school curriculums is important: Dipankar Bhattacharjee
AT Photo: Dipankar Bhattacharjee (centre) with badminton coach Anil Kumar Rout (right) and Modern English School director Pankaj Das at the academy in Guwahati.
Guwahati, Nov 27: Two-time Olympian and former national champion from Assam Dipankar Bhattacharjee has emphasised the importance of incorporating sports into school curriculums to enable students to pursue sports seamlessly alongside academics.
“This practice helps students excel in sports while managing their academic responsibilities. Schools must include sports activities in their curriculum to support this balance,” Bhattacharjee told The Assam Tribune during an interaction at the Modern English School, Kahilipara, Guwahati, on Tuesday.
Dipankar Bhattacharjee, who represented India in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, has collaborated with the Modern English School to establish MES-Dipankar’s Badminton Academy (MES-DBA). Speaking about this initiative, he said, “Sports is an essential component of education, offering life-enriching lessons that academics alone cannot provide. By incorporating sports into the educational framework, we can cultivate well-rounded individuals with skills that extend beyond the classroom.”
Reflecting on his journey, Bhattacharjee added, “Coming back to Assam has always been close to my heart. While I’ve travelled the world and competed on the biggest stages, Assam is where my journey began. Being the only Olympian from Assam in badminton to date is an honour and a responsibility. It's not enough to rest on past achievements. Now, it's time to give back — nurturing young talent and inspiring future champions. This is not just the tagline of MES-DBA; it’s my life’s purpose.”
Modern English School director Pankaj Das highlighted the academy's vision, stating, “Every aspect of MES-Dipankar’s Badminton Academy reflects its mission to empower athletes with world-class facilities. Guided by the vision of producing an Olympian by 2036, the academy is committed to fostering young talent and promoting excellence in badminton. With cutting-edge infrastructure and advanced technology, MES-DBA sets a new benchmark for sports development in Assam.”
Dipankar Bhattacharjee assured that the academy would provide the best coaching. The coaching team includes Gaurav Malhan (head coach from Haryana), Andri Ramza Rahmadani (senior coach from East Java, Indonesia), Anil Kumar Rout (senior coach from Guwahati) and Anjan Shrivas (assistant coach from Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh).
