Padukone, Rahul Dravid launched Bindra’s Targeting Performance Centre

Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra’s Targeting Performance Centre was inaugurated by former cricketer Rahul Dravid and badminton legend Prakash Padukone at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru. The event is glorified by Paralympic gold medalists Murlikant Petkar and Devendra Jhajharia as the Guests of Honour.

The Targeting Performance Centre is expected to allure the nation's elite athletes for assessments, training and injury rehabilitation and will be fully operational from January 1 2018.

Rahul commended Bindra’s gratitude to the sports sector, which is the world class center that provides assessment, training and rehabilitation services using cutting edge equipment, technology and tools. He said, “When I retired I did not know for a long time what to do, whereas Abhinav Bindra already knew what he wanted and this facility came up very quickly. That is the difference between a test batsman and a sharp shooter.”

With Olympic standard swimming pool, an international size football pitch, 16 badminton courts, five full-sized and four quick-start tennis courts, a cricket ground, four international standard squash courts, medical support services such as equipment-aided physiotherapy and rehabilitation programmes are also incorporated at the Centre.

Ecstatic Rahul praised Bindra in scads as these services are open to general public at an early age, which in general an Indian athlete accesses are available only after certain level.

Prakash said that the athletes represent India compulsorily have to travel to abroad for the best facilities, but SAI-Abhinav Bindra's targeting performance center will be a go-to for all the athletes in the future. This center has a first ever deployment of the digital wall in the world and houses a pilates studio, EMS training and a cryo-chamber, which enable full-body cryotherapy to aid recovery.

Bindra, who designed the world-class center under one roof said, “I am delighted and excited to bring the Targeting Performance Centre to life at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru,” said Bindra. “This Centre, along with those in Chandigarh and New Delhi, are the first hubs of a network of such facilities I would like to deploy across the country. I was fortunate to be able to personally use this equipment and received the support of sports science at all stages on my road to the Olympics,” he added.

The facilities and services at the Centre will be available at free of cost to the deputed Indian athletes through the alliance with Sports Authority of India (SAI) and will seconded the academies at Padukone-Dravid Center for Sports Excellence.

“Having experienced the benefits of leaving no stone unturned, I wanted to in turn make similar services available to my fellow athletes. In designing the Centre, I have kept in mind the needs of the elite athlete as much as I have those of the general user. I believe that making sports science easily accessible holds a key to our nation's sporting future and am delighted and grateful for the support of the Sports Authority of India in bringing this particular Centre to life,” said Abhinav.