Pullela Gopichand launches 'Dhyana' app to strengthen athletes' mental toughness

Indian badminton legend-turned-coach Pullela Gopichand launched the 'Dhyana' app on Wednesday with the aim of strengthening the mental toughness of athletes. Mental health has been an ongoing concern among athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The app has been constructed based on ten sessions to analyze the state of meditation to instill the mindset of a champion athlete. The Dhyana wearable ring helps measure the user's heartbeat based on three tenets — breathing, focus, and relaxation.

'Dhyana for Sports' to help athletes achieve a strong emotional well-being: Pullela Gopichand

The head coach of the Indian badminton team spoke on how the athletes need to stay focus-driven during the pandemic. The application helps improve their focusing abili. It is aimed at athletes who wish to represent India on the international stage.

“The ability to stay positive and focus-driven is a quality that one needs to cultivate, particularly in these trying times when most of our goals for the year have been waylaid by the pandemic. We designed ‘Dhyana for Sports’ to help athletes and others alike achieve a strong emotional wellbeing, motivate them and enable them to focus on the road to excellence," Gopichand said.

Gopichand also said that the sessions will help athletes to be the best version of themselves.

"Victory doesn’t always go to the stronger or the faster person. It ultimately goes to the stronger mind, the tougher spirit. I am certain that these guided sessions will prove to be fruitful to anyone wanting to become the best version of themselves,” he added.

Pullela Gopichand has trained the likes of PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap, and HS Prannoy. Gopichand is also the founder of the 'Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy,' established in 2001 as a training institute for badminton players.