Prakash Padukone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prakash Padukone |
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| Birth name | Prakash Ramesh Padukone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 June 1955 Bengaluru, Mysore State (present-day Karnataka), India |
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| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Highest Ranking | 1 (1980) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Prakash Padukone (born 10 June 1955) is a famous former badminton player from India. He was ranked the number one player in the world in 1980. In that same year, he made history by becoming the first Indian to win the important All England Open Badminton Championships. The Indian government honored him with the Arjuna award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982. He also helped start Olympic Gold Quest, a group that supports Indian athletes in Olympic sports.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Badminton
Prakash Padukone was born on June 10, 1955, in Bangalore, which is in Karnataka, India. His father, Ramesh Padukone, was very involved in badminton. He was the secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association. Prakash's father was the one who first introduced him to the game.
First Tournaments and Wins
Prakash played his first official tournament in 1962. It was the Karnataka state junior championship, but he lost in the very first round. However, he didn't give up! Just two years later, he won the state junior title. In 1971, he changed his playing style to be more attacking. This helped him win the Indian national junior title in 1972. He also won the senior national title that same year. He then won the national title seven years in a row, showing how good he was.
Becoming a World Champion
In 1978, Prakash won his first big international title. He earned the gold medal in men's singles at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. This was a huge achievement! In 1979, he won another important event called the "Evening of Champions" in London.
Historic Wins in 1980
The year 1980 was amazing for Prakash Padukone. He won the Denmark Open and the Swedish Open. Most importantly, he became the first Indian player to win the men's singles title at the All England Championship. He beat Liem Swie King from Indonesia, who was one of the best players in the world at that time. Prakash spent a lot of his international career training in Denmark. He became good friends with many European players, like Morten Frost.
After Retirement
Prakash Padukone stopped playing badminton professionally in 1991. After that, he continued to help the sport. For a short time, he was the chairman of the Badminton Association of India. He also coached the Indian national badminton team from 1993 to 1996. Later, he teamed up with Geet Sethi to create Olympic Gold Quest. This foundation helps promote Olympic sports in India and supports talented athletes.
Personal Life
Prakash Padukone is married to Ujjala. They have two daughters, Deepika and Anisha.
Major Achievements
Prakash Padukone had a fantastic career, winning many medals and titles. Here are some of his most important achievements:
- 1978 Commonwealth Games: Gold medal in Men's singles.
- 1980 All England Open Badminton Championships: Gold medal in Men's singles.
- 1981 Badminton World Cup: Gold medal in Men's singles.
- 1983 BWF World Championships: Bronze medal in Men's singles.
- 1980 Badminton World Cup: Bronze medal in Men's singles.
- 1981 World Games: Bronze medal in Men's singles.
- 1976 Asian Badminton Championships: Bronze medal in Men's singles.
See also
In Spanish: Prakash Padukone para niños
