Thane is where it all started for Subhankar Dey under Vad

Shrikant Vad

When almost all top academies in India rejected Subhankar Dey, the Thane Badminton Academy opened doors for him. Dey moved to Thane to pursue his career in the sport and joined the Thane Badminton Academy under coach Shrikant Vad.

Vad was thrilled. "Dey is an extremely hardworking boy, who had the potential but never achieved results he deserved. He trained under me in his formative years - for five years.

"He also stayed in my house and in hostel. Despite all his problems, his focus was on training hard. All said and done, beating a legend like Lin Dan is an achievement. I give him credit for his perseverance and hard work."

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