"I Have A Different View": Nithin Kamath On Pullela Gopichand's Sports Advice To Parents

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath recently took to X to react to national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand's views of not letting children pursue sports unless parents have strong financial backing. According to a screenshot of an article shared by Mr Kamath, Mr Gopichand advised parents against encouraging their children to pursue sports professionally unless they're rich. Reacting to this statement, Mr Kamath acknowledged Mr Gopichand's concerns, however, he offered a different perspective, emphasising the growing opportunities in the sports industry. 

"While I understand Pullela Gopichand's concern that "Unless you are rich, don't make your child a sportsperson," I have a different view," Mr Kamath wrote. 

While I understand Pullela Gopichand's concern that "Unless you are rich, don't make your child a sportsperson," I have a different view.

Imagine studying something you don't like or being stuck in a field when you know that your skills are useful elsewhere. Odds are, you may… pic.twitter.com/u205g2Jifd

— Nithin Kamath (@Nithin0dha) February 21, 2025

In the following lines, the Zerodha chief highlighted the challenges of pursuing a career in a field one dislikes. "Imagine studying something you don't like or being stuck in a field when you know that your skills are useful elsewhere. Odds are, you may end up being less than average compared to people who are more suited to the field you hate. In this case, how can you expect job security? This is all more problematic in the AI-first world we are entering," he continued. 

Further, Mr Kamath wrote that this view also applies to the sports industry as well, and if someone fails to become a professional player nowadays, there are more alternatives for people to enter like to become a coach or personal trainer. 

"This applies to sports as well. If someone is passionate about sports, takes a shot at being a professional and fails, there are more alternatives today than ever. You can become a coach or a personal trainer. There's more demand for such folks today than at any point," he wrote. 

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Mr Kamath, who co-founded the Rainmatter Foundation at Zerodha, pointed to changing trends. "We are seeing a trend with some of @Rainmatterin's partners, like @FITTRwithsquats, @gametheoryindia, etc. People are willing to pay for personal training and coaching. We need a few of these to scale well, such as what @urbanclap has been able to do for professionals for home services." 

Mr Kamth's take resonated with many. "Very well put. The ability to be able to pursue 'passions' without being scared for your future earnings denotes how developed a country is. To provide such a cushion for 'free' pursuit should be the aim of India and its upper echelons," wrote one user. 

"Passion should never be a privilege of the rich. While financial stability matters, today's world offers more opportunities than ever - coaching, training, content creation, or even entrepreneurship in sports. Skill & adaptability will always find a way," commented another.