Sathish takes street much less travelled, chooses Malaysia to make his combined doubles-singles goals a actuality

Whereas most of India’s high badminton gamers practice in both Hyderabad or Bengaluru, double gold medallist on the Nationwide Video games, Sathish Karunakaran, is pursuing an unconventional path to success, striving to excel in each combined doubles and singles in Malaysia.

Sathish clinched his first gold within the badminton competitors on the Nationwide Video games on Tuesday morning, partnering Aadya Variyath within the combined workforce occasion. For many gamers, that will have been an achievement in itself, however Sathish was again on the court docket only a few hours later at Dehradun’s Parade Floor, the place he secured his second gold medal by defeating the gifted teenager Suyaksh Rawat within the males’s singles closing.

Only a few gamers handle to compete at an elite stage in each singles and doubles classes. But, that is exactly the problem Sathish has set for himself. As of final week, he was ranked forty fourth within the BWF males’s singles rankings and thirty second within the combined doubles rankings alongside Aadya.

His journey has been something however standard. Whereas most of India’s high skills hone their abilities on the famend Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad or the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru, Sathish has taken a distinct route — one which has led him exterior India solely. Each he and Aadya practice in Kuala Lumpur below former Malaysian nationwide workforce coach Jivanathan Nair.

The duo has been coaching below Jivanathan — a second-generation Indian immigrant in Malaysia — for almost 10 months. One of many most important causes they selected Kuala Lumpur’s Asia Badminton Academy was as a result of Coach Jiva, as Sathish calls him, was one of many few who believed that excelling in each combined doubles and singles was doable. “It’s not frequent in any respect, however that’s the problem for each me and my coach. No one has achieved this efficiently in worldwide badminton, in order that’s precisely what we need to obtain,” Sathish explains.

Though Sathish and Aadya first paired up in August 2022 on the Cameroon Open, his affiliation with Jivanathan dates again a lot additional. Initially from Chennai, Sathish relocated to Coimbatore as a youngster earlier than attending his first coaching camp in Malaysia in 2018.

Sathish Kumar of Tamil Nadu along with his gold medal in males’s badminton singles in thirty eighth Nationwide Video games, Dehradhun on Tuesday 04 February 2025.
| Picture Credit score:
RITU RAJ KONWAR

“What was alleged to be a one-month camp became 4 months. Jiva coach was with the Malaysian workforce again then, and I felt I discovered an incredible deal below him. I additionally noticed speedy outcomes — after coaching with him, I certified for the Junior World Championships. His coaching strategies, philosophy, and method to badminton labored for me,” Sathish remembers.

Though he returned to India, Sathish continued consulting Jivanathan by way of video calls. The choice to maneuver again to Malaysia got here early final 12 months.

“At the moment, Aadya and I had been enjoying collectively for a couple of 12 months and a half. We weren’t doing badly, however we each felt the necessity to develop. In India, one of many greatest challenges in combined doubles is the shortage of high quality sparring companions. Malaysia has loads of these. We each felt we would have liked to take the chance. As a singles participant, I additionally felt that I used to be simply sustaining my rating in India — I needed to raise my sport. After I educated with him earlier than, he helped me attain the Junior World Championships. So, with all this in thoughts, I reached out to Jiva coach as soon as once more,” he says.

The demanding worldwide circuit leaves little room for prolonged coaching stints, however Sathish and Aadya managed one vital two-month coaching block in Malaysia. The expertise, he says, has been invaluable. “The toughest a part of coaching in Malaysia is the health stage. The gamers there simply run loads — it’s a distinct stage of endurance,” he says.

Sathish with coach Jivanathan Nair (left).
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Whereas the bodily advantages have been evident, the best benefit of coaching in Kuala Lumpur has been the chance to spar with a number of the world’s finest gamers. “Though Aadya and I practice with Jiva coach, we additionally get to spar with high gamers from different academies. We practice with (present world No. 4 combined doubles pair) Goh Quickly Huat and Shevon Jemie Lai, in addition to Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, who gained the India Open in January. We’ve additionally had periods with former world No. 1s Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong,” he says.

There’s nonetheless an extended method to go, Sathish acknowledges. “I want to coach for longer intervals and deal with constructing my power. The season is full of tournaments, however I have to carve out extra time for coaching,” he says.

He hopes the outcomes will quickly mirror his efforts, notably in additional aggressive tournaments. “Proper now, we’re competing within the World Tour 300 and Worldwide Problem stage. Aadya and I shall be representing India on the Asian Championships, in addition to enjoying within the All England and German Open. We’re at the moment ranked thirty third on the earth, however I consider we will break into the highest 20,” he says.

Though he’ll primarily be competing in combined doubles in these tournaments, Sathish is set to maintain his singles sport sharp. “I’ve had higher leads to combined doubles, however I nonetheless take into account myself primarily a singles participant. I’m going to proceed each for now,” he concludes.