It was disheartening when Deepika Padukone grabbed all the limelight while her legendary father Prakash stood quietly on the other side of the badminton court during an exhibition match on the final day of the Tata Open All-India badminton tournament at Bombay Gymkhana.
The Arjuna
awardee Prakash could only look at the fanfare from the other side of the net while holding his badminton racquet. It was a rare sight to see when the flashbulbs were not on India’s all-time greatest sportsman.I am sure had Prakash been a cricketer than that wouldn’t have been the case.
I agree Bollywood and glamour rules but Deepika isn’t a Madhuri Dixit Nene or Madhubala yet. She is just a one-film wonder. So, the feeling was naturally strange.
Compare this to OSO ‘Dreamy Girl’ father’s sporting career. Prakash, a former World No 1 shuttler, was the first Indian to win the coveted All-England championship in 1980.
He also holds the record of being the junior and senior National champion in the same year (1971). To add more feathers to his cap, he won the Commonwealth Games, Denmark Open, Swedish Open, London Masters and other major titles by beating the best in the world then.
But I know the gentleman Prakash wouldn’t care whether the attention was on him or her daughter. I am sure he must be feeling a proud father.
His humility makes him greatest ever.
He also holds the record of being the junior and senior National champion in the same year (1971). To add more feathers to his cap, he won the Commonwealth Games, Denmark Open, Swedish Open, London Masters and other major titles by beating the best in the world then.
But I know the gentleman Prakash wouldn’t care whether the attention was on him or her daughter. I am sure he must be feeling a proud father.
His humility makes him greatest ever.
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