Pullela Gopichand became the first Indian coach to receive an honourable mention from the International Olympic Committee ©Getty Images

Pullela Gopichand became the first Indian coach to receive an honourable mention from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The badminton coach received the mention at the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards.

He was honoured for his excellence and contribution to the field of coaching and the Olympic Movement. 

The 46-year-old is a former badminton player, famously becoming the second Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001. 

Pullela Gopichand has coached players such as PV Sindhu ©Getty Images
Pullela Gopichand has coached players such as PV Sindhu ©Getty Images

His current role is as head coach of the Indian national badminton team, and Gopichand has developed players such as Olympic medallists Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu.

Gopichand received a certificate for his honourable mention at an event in New Delhi, as reported by the Times of India. 

Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra was in attendance, alongside National Rifle Association of India President Raninder Singh.

Gopichand recently made headlines after claiming the badminton qualification system for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was "unfair" to players.