"Sport is an integral part of growing up as it builds one up for lifelong success." Prakash Padukone

Prakash Padukone

Prakash Padukone is widely regarded as the pioneer of Indian badminton. He was ranked World No. 1 in 1980 – the same year in which he became the first Indian to win the All England Badminton Championship.

Prakash Padukone continued the winning streak throughout his career and bagged over 20 international medals before he retired as a player in 1989. He remained actively involved in the game even after retirement and coached the Indian national badminton team from 1993 and 1996.

For his immense dedication and the glory brought by him to the nation, Prakash Padukone was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982.

Prakash Padukone’s vision has shaped the Padukone School of Badminton into a holistic academy, offering everyone the opportunity to learn and enjoy the game with proper training.

It also serves as a platform for those aspiring to compete professionally.

Find Out More

His Thoughts

"Investing my time in sports has equipped me with various attributes that have served me well throughout my life. It is said that sports is the ultimate teacher, and I fully agree with it. During the many years of playing badminton at the highest level, I learnt humility, persistence, patience, and the value of teamwork. At Padukone School of Badminton, it is my endeavor to not only help people across India enjoy badminton while learning the right technique but also focus on developing lifelong attributes like patience, dedication, respect, and perseverance. A sporting culture at the grassroots is the need of hour in our country and this very mission is what drives us at Padukone School of Badminton."

The Life Story of The Legend

  • Prakash Padukone with medal
  • Prakash Padukone with All England Champions Trophy
  • Prakash Padukone receiving award from Indian President

  • Prakash Padukone was initiated into the game of badminton by his father Ramesh Padukone, who served as the secretary of the “Mysore Badminton Association” for many years.

  • Padukone’s first official tournament was the Karnataka state junior championship in 1962. Known as the ‘Gentle Tiger’ on the court, his achievements in the badminton world are prolific. He won his first National Men’s singles at the Indian Nationals when he was only 16 years old (he also won Junior’s title at the Nationals) and went on to win it 9 years in a row from 1971 till 1979.

  • 1980 was his best year when he dominated the top European players to win the Danish Open and the Swedish Open. Seeded third at the All-England, he beat Morten Frost in the semi-finals and Liem Swie King in the finals in a straight game, thus becoming the first Indian to achieve this scintillating feat. 

  • After his retirement from competitive sports in 1991, Prakash Padukone served as the chairman of the Badminton Association of India for a short while. Additionally, he served as the coach of the Indian national badminton team from 1993 to 1996. He also co-founded Olympic Gold Quest with Geet Sethi, a foundation dedicated to the promotion of Olympic sports in India.

  • Prakash Padukone with lifetime achievement award
Prakash Padukone with All England Champions Trophy

A Career Full Of Milestones

Won National Senior Championships for Nine Years in a row from 1971 to 1979

In 1980, Won the Danish Open, the Swedish Open, and became the first Indian to win the men’s singles title at the All England Championship with a victory over Indonesian rival Liem Swie King

Winner of the first World Cup in October 1981 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and in the same year won the first Indian Open Prize Money Tournament in Pune

Won the “Arjuna Award” at the age of 17 and the Padmashree at the age of 27 and was chosen as one of the 60 Greatest Indians from all walks of life by an India Today poll in 2008

Story Behind Our Logo

The Padukone School of Badminton’s logo is inspired by the iconic way Prakash Padukone held his racquet, symbolizing his unique style and grace. It embodies the school’s commitment to continuing his legacy of world-class badminton training, nurturing future champions with the same dedication and spirit that defined his legendary career.

Prakash Padukone coaches players

Always Focus on the Bigger Picture

"One of the important things sports teach you is not to dispute the umpire/referee’s decision- whether fair or unfair.  During the course of a match, some decisions go in your favor and some against.  The key takeaway is to accept both the decisions with grace, without arguing or disputing the intentions of the referee. This approach will enable you to focus on the bigger picture at hand, which is to achieve victory each time you play.

If you start questioning, arguing, and debating with the umpire’s doubtful decisions, you are likely to lose focus of the bigger picture. In the end, you might win that point or argument but might go on to lose the match, which is not worth it. 

This applies to daily life as well.  Always focus on the bigger picture in life without getting into controversies. This is one of my learnings from sports.

There are many such examples of learning from sports that can be applied in daily life as well. Look out for more such learnings from my playing days here in my blog in the days to come. Take care and stay fit."