Odisha Readies To Expand Sporting Horizon With Badminton HPC [In Pics]

Bhubaneswar: The state-of-the-art badminton high-performance centre (HPC) at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is all set to be inaugurated soon.

Odisha sports recently shared images of the 28.40m tall HPC, which is in the shape of a shuttlecock, and wrote: “Odisha’s sporting horizon is expanding…”

The Dalmia Bharat Group has completed the construction work, and the 500-seater facility developed with an investment of Rs 55 crore on 3.04 acres of land provided by the Odisha government, is expected to become a significant hub for badminton training in India while hosting national and international badminton tournaments.

AS IT TOOK SHAPE…

>> In 2018, Odisha  signed a partnership with Dalmia Bharat and the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation to set up a world-class badminton academy in the state. The foundation stone was laid by the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in February 2019.

>> The building is placed on a glass cylinder, giving it a floating-cork (of shuttlecock) effect. Special illumination lights will be projected from the rooftop to give it a shuttlecock effect at night. The aerodynamic circular shape will help wind to flow away and reduce the maximum wind pressure from the façade.

>> The centre has eight badminton courts, a 500-seat capacity, a cafeteria, guest rooms, and a gymnasium and it will operate under the technical and coaching supervision of legendary badminton player and coach Pullela Gopichand.