For a leisure participant, reserving a badminton court docket in most Indian cities is a tricky process. Demand is excessive, as courts are normally bought out even on weekdays. For youngsters inclined in direction of making a profession in sports activities, badminton stands out as a viable choice. Academies are full, as younger wards dream of rising as the subsequent famous person.
On all ranges, badminton has captured the coronary heart of the nation. The stellar achievements of Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu have little question impressed a era to take up the sport.
Net Flicks, written by the father-son duo of Vijay Lokapally and Akshay Lokapally, seeks to tell readers that Rome was not inbuilt a day. The book takes a deep dive into the historical past of Indian badminton, with detailed accounts of previous champions and trendsetters.
Prakash Nath’s story
Syed Modi
Tales of Prakash Nath taking part in the 1947 All England Championships whereas his hometown, Lahore, was in flames as a consequence of the partition, is heartbreaking. The story of multiple-time girls’s nationwide champion Damayanti Tambay stirs nationalistic fervour. Just a yr into marriage, Damayanti’s husband Flight Lieutenant Vijay Vasant Tambay went lacking in the 1971 India-Pakistan struggle. Damayanti gave up the sport to seek for her husband, however an absence of political will meant that no progress was made.
The authors have boldly explored the darkest chapter in Indian badminton — the 1988 homicide of eight-time nationwide champion Syed Modi. A star in his personal proper, Modi was shot lifeless in Lucknow, main the police to file costs towards his spouse Ameeta Singh and politician Sanjay Singh. In a compelling chapter, Ameeta speaks of her innocence, an timeless love for Modi, and political conspiracy. History will observe that each Ameeta and Sanjay have been acquitted of all costs, and they later obtained married.
Prakash Padukone
| Photo Credit:
Special association
No chronicle of Indian badminton is full and not using a point out of Prakash Padukone. The first Indian to win the All England Championships, Padukone’s method for fulfillment was a mix of distinctive expertise and a stoic drive to make finest use of restricted amenities. As the pages finally flip to the exploits of Saina and Sindhu, it turns into clear that these trendy celebrities stand on the shoulders of giants.
Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
Net Flicks: India’s Smashing Affair with the Shuttle; Akshay Lokapally, Vijay Lokapally, Bloomsbury India, ₹499.
achal.ashwin@thehindu.co.in
Published – March 21, 2025 09:02 am IST
