ACES

Badminton has a new home in Odisha. With 77,000sqft of indoor space, Shuttle is unlike any other badminton facility in the world

- NILADRY SARKAR

Agiant shuttlecock illuminates the night sky in Bhubaneswar. It is a new building, designed to look like a cork base. Laser lights are beamed upwards from the terrace's perimeter at an angle to resemble feathers. This is Shuttle—a newly built badminton high-performance centre (HPC) inside the Kalinga Sports Complex. “It is an iconic infrastructure,” says former All England champion Pullela Gopichand. “It says to Bhubaneswar that we are here.” Shuttle by Dalmia Bharat Group was made possible through a collaboration with the Odisha government and the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation.

In 2017 and 2018, the three entities came together with a shared vision to establish a state-of-the-art badminton facility in Bhubaneswar. With the Odisha government’s commitment to making the state India’s leading sports destination, Gopichand’s expertise and the Dalmia Bharat Group’s financial backing—to the tune of ₹75 crore as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives—the dream was realised after years of dedicated effort.

Inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the president of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), on December 12, Shuttle is unlike any other badminton facility in the world. The stunning aesthetic of the centre is further enhanced by its outdoor landscape which features a walk of fame honouring the history and development of badminton in India. Additionally, there is an amphitheatre with seating for 200, and a reflective pool, adding to the visual charm of the structure.