Meet The Coach
Meet our expert Coaches. No matter what your goal is, they will help you to reach it.
U VINOD
Head Coach & Mentor
U Vinod is a former Indian international badminton player and a highly respected coach who has made a lasting impact on the sport in India. Beginning his journey at the age of four, he went on to become a 10-time national champion, securing six men’s doubles and four mixed doubles titles along with over 50 national medals, while also achieving a career-high world ranking of 28 in 1996. He represented India extensively on the global stage, competing in prestigious tournaments such as the Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Asian Championships, All England, and World Championships, and was a World Grand Prix finalist in 1993. Transitioning into coaching in 2000, he has spent over two decades mentoring top Indian players including Arvind Bhat, Anup Sridhar, Ajay Jayaram, Ashwini Ponnappa, and Lakshya Sen, working across leading academies in Bangalore and contributing significantly to doubles excellence and high-performance training.
He has also been associated with Selenite Sports Academy for over four years, and began a second stint with the academy in 2026, where he is responsible for developing players while also mentoring the coaching team and professional athletes. Through both his playing achievements and coaching legacy, Vinod has been instrumental in elevating India’s badminton standards and strengthening its sporting infrastructure.
Siddharth Thakur
Head Coach - Pro Group Singles
Siddharth Manoj Thakur is an internationally recognized former badminton player and certified coach with over 15 years of experience in competitive tournaments. Having proudly represented India on the global stage, he achieved a career-high World Ranking of 119 in Men’s Singles by the Badminton World Federation and a National Ranking of 2 under the Badminton Association of India. Throughout his career, he has won multiple international accolades, including a Bronze Medal at the Lagos International 2018, a Runner-Up position at the Ghana International Series 2018, and several quarter-finalist performances in global tournaments. At the national level, he has secured podium finishes in Senior All India Ranking Tournaments, earning a Bronze Medal in 2018 and a Silver Medal in 2017. His state-level achievements include winning the Senior State Championships in 2016. He has also been a Champion at the All India Inter Railway Tournament in 2023 and Runner-Up in 2024, further showcasing his consistency at the highest levels of the sport. Additionally, he represented Mulheim in the German Bundesliga in 2019.
As a coach, Siddharth specializes in developing players’ technical skills, tactical strategies, and overall fitness. His experience spans mentoring athletes from beginner to elite levels, focusing on discipline, teamwork, and performance excellence. He is adept at designing personalized training programs, analyzing gameplay, and organizing competitive events to enhance player development. His coaching philosophy is rooted in building strong fundamentals, fostering strategic gameplay, and instilling mental resilience to prepare athletes for high-stakes competitions. With a vision to create a pipeline of Indian players competing at the international level, he is committed to guiding his trainees toward achieving global success, with a long-term goal of producing Olympic-level athletes. Passionate and dedicated, Siddharth continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of badminton champions, helping them unlock their full potential on and off the court.
Shaik Khaja
Senior Coach - Pro Group
Khaja is a dedicated badminton coach with a strong competitive background and a passion for developing young talent. Having participated in the Badminton Asia Junior U-15 & U-17 Championship in 2017, he has competed at both national and international levels. His national achievements include multiple Bronze Medals in prestigious tournaments such as the All India Sub-Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament (2017, Coimbatore), the Yonex Sunrise All India Sub-Junior Ranking Badminton Championship (Assam), and the All-India Junior Ranking Tournament (Imphal, 2019).
With coaching experience at Rao Badminton Academy in Vijayawada and Sudhakar Reddy Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, he has successfully trained college players, organized team practices, and developed structured training programs. Currently pursuing an NIS Certification Course (SAI) in 2024, Khaja is committed to enhancing his coaching expertise. His ability to motivate players, implement effective training methodologies, and foster discipline makes him a valuable mentor for aspiring badminton athletes.
Yuvraj Shinde
Senior Coach - Pro Group Singles
Yuvraj Shinde is a former National and State-level Badminton player, ranked among the Top 50 in India and Top 5 in Karnataka, with over 15 years of experience in the sport as a player and BWF Level-certified coach. Throughout his playing career, he consistently performed at the highest level, qualifying for main draws in All India Ranking Tournaments, competing in the National Championship in Vijayawada, and achieving Top 5 ranking in Juniors and Top 10 in Seniors at the state level. He also reached the finals of the Udupi Karnataka State Ranking Tournament in doubles, a testament to his versatility and skill. Yuvraj had the privilege of training with Mr. Ganguly Prasad, Dronacharya Awardee and renowned coach at the Sports Authority of India, which further shaped his professional foundation. Transitioning into coaching, he has built over 8 years of experience, beginning under the mentorship of Olympian Anup Sridhar, and has since worked with several national and international athletes. His international exposure includes a coaching stint in Melbourne, Australia, where he further enhanced his knowledge and approach to athlete development. Yuvraj specializes in tactical game strategy, detailed match analysis, fitness programming, strength and conditioning, and holistic player development, making him a well-rounded mentor for aspiring shuttlers. His vision is to nurture young talent into international and Olympic-level athletes, contributing to India’s rising dominance in the global badminton arena.
Swaroop Simha
Strength & Conditioning Coach
The OG Hanuman Bhakt. A fitness enthusiast even before it was a trend. A body builder by passion. ACE Certified fitness trainer for over a decade, with rich experience of working in some of the most iconic gyms in Bangalore from late 2000s. Self taught personal athletic fitness coach. He has personally trained some top badminton players in the country, like Parupalli Kashyap, Saina Nehwal World No. 1 in 2015, Guru Saidutt, from 2014 to 2020. His long term collaboration is with some of the upcoming versatile coaching gems like Siddhartha Thakur BWF 119th rank & National Ranking at 2 & Harshit Agarwal a visionary, aiming to combine AI & badminton with international BWF 96th rank & India No. 1.
Along with this he is also immersing himself in the other end of the fitness training spectrum with ongoing preparation for one of the most coveted certifications, i.e., the geriatric/senior fitness coaching. As he is associated with fitness and lifestyle coaching for some of the top CEOs & Entrepreneurs in the city. With him you can expect wholesome, mindful programs with progress and sustainability. He covers strength & conditioning, endurance & power training, mobility & flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, on court athlete specific movement based strenth training. This is not only hyper syllabi focused, but also specific to each pre teen, teen and tween and will be customised keeping the player's needs.
Meet The Center Heads
Meet the team that manages our centers.
Edwin Samuel
Selenite Sports Academy @ Aakash Sports, Rajarajeshwari Nagar
- 5+ years of top-tier badminton coaching and sports management.
- Former Senior Head Coach at Karnataka Badminton Association.
- BWF Level 1 & Shuttle Time certified for world-class training.
- Passionate about mentoring and developing champions.
- Skilled in managing and optimizing sports centers.
Shaikh Khaja
The Sports School, Kanakapura Road
- Represented India at Badminton Asia Junior U-15 & U-17
- Won multiple national level bronze medals(2017-2019)
- Coaching experience at Rao & Sudhakar Reddy Badminton Academies
- Pursuing NIS Certification(SAI,2024)
- Passionate about mentoring and developing young talent
Meet theManagement
Meet our management team.
Manjunatha G. A.
Jaya Keerthi
Sanjeev Katti
About Selenite
Since having opened its doors in 2017, Selenite has constantly strived to be a front runner in the arena of Badminton. A massive facility spanning over 40,000 square ft, equipped with the best coaches and amenities; Selenite has and will continue to produce renowned Badminton players who will make our nation proud.
The blazing trail that the athletes leave behind can be traced back to the coaches who train them. Selenite can boast of distinguished and illustrious coaches who have numerous accolades to their names.
At Selenite we believe that hard work and perseverance should never go unnoticed, hence we provide several benefits such as scholarships and player welfare programs for our athletes. To further enable our athletes, we are a performance center with world class facilities including a fitness coach, strengthening coach, nutritionist as well as a physiotherapist.
Vision
Our vision is to set the standard of excellence for sports by providing first class programs, professional coaching, and life skills. These sports opportunities and programs will contribute in our goal to have players compete in the Olympics
Mission
Selenite seeks to provide the best coaching possible and to ensure a holistic development of its athletes.