He's earned a lot of backhand(ed) compliments for his powerful smashes and fluid footwork across the net.
Sports buffs will remember Nikhil Kanetkar, the Athens Olympian shuttler from Pune, who started playing badminton from age eight and went on to become India's number 1, world's number 32 in a singles event and found place in World Top 50 for eight years.
Kanetkar, now looking much younger than his 36 years, reached Jamshedpur on Monday to teach the finer points of badminton to a clutch of young trainees at the ongoing winter training camp at Mohan Ahuja Stadium in Bistupur.
Kanetkar, who runs NKBA (Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy) in Pune, shed light on on-court and off-court training techniques and also interacted with local coaches before sparing time for The Telegraph at the office of Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA).
On his assignment, he said he would train 30 shuttlers from Jharkhand and Bengal in various categories (sub-junior, junior and senior) and put them through endurance and strength-related exercises in the workshop jointly hosted by Jharkhand and Bengal badminton associations.
"I will focus on techniques of strokes and short backhand service that's is very prevalent nowadays. Local coaches will be asked to note down the things I teach. I'm leaving for Pune on December 30 while the camp will go on till January 2, but I'm hoping to make the most of my stay here," he added.
Jamshedpur has been an old favourite, he confessed. "Well, Jamshedpur has been the most lovable venue for me when I was a player. I'd like to come here again and again," he said.
"It was here at Mohan Ahuja Stadium that I beat a seeded shuttler at the sub-junior nationals in 1995. To be honest, Jamshedpur was a stepping stone for me when it comes to reaching higher level of the game," the soft-spoken Kanetkar said.
In 2006, he again came to Jamshedpur for All India (Senior) Badminton Tournament, recounted the dapper shuttle star. "I beat the then upcoming Anup Sridhar (of Bangalore) before losing to Abhin Sengupta of Uttar Pradesh, the ultimate champion," he smiled engagingly.
Now, Kanetkar, who donned the India jersey in Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and Asian Games, among others, is content to play mentor. "I run a cradle in Pune (NKBA, since 2011) and the Maharashtra government has given me infrastructure. I have 150 cadets," he said.
On Jharkhand, he said: "There's no dearth of talent. But, the state association should get support from corporate sector and the state government."
Budding shuttlers are excited by "Kanetkar Sir" being in town. "I'm so excited!" gushed Jamshedpur-based Pragya J. Bodra, the current Under-13 state champion. "I hope to pick up tips and soften some of my rough edges under Kanetkar Sir."
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