Firstly, full disclosure.
In my humble opinion, and with the greatest respect to all other legends and champions from other sports, Prakash Padukone is the finest sportsperson that India has produced. It’s not just his incredible skill with which he conquered the badminton world time and again, but also his demeanour on and off the court that makes him so special in my eyes. Don’t forget he did it at a time when a point could be won only on your serve and not as it is now where it can be won on the opponent’s serve. At a time when the Danes and Chinese were unbeatable, Prakash was sending them packing, barely conceding seven to 10 points and occasionally none at all.
He has always been reticent and publicity-shy, and he goes about his life with as much quiet as his famous dribble at the net. Therefore, his frank comments after the badminton disappointment came as a surprise to so many who have known him over the years to keep his counsel and not say much. It also stirred up a debate where the majority tried, as is the modern way, to take the side of a current would-be champion and not that of a past-proven world champion. Making excuses is where our country will win gold medals every single time, so the debate around his assessment was more about that than looking without tinted glasses at what he said.
And what did he say? He said that the players today get all the backing and facilities from their Federations and the government too. Therefore, they should take responsibility for their performances too. It was a point well-made and well-articulated too, without pointing fingers at anybody. Yet as it invariably happens in our country, which again is a champion at reading between so-called lines and imagining unintended poisoned arrows, we were quick to jump on him and denounce his comments rather than take the time to digest them and then come out with our comparatively uninformed views. If a player is not going to take responsibility for his performance, then who is? So what wrong did he say? Some say the timing was wrong, but it’s always better to say that when a player is searching for excuses and support rather than later. Yes, he could have said that privately in the changing room, but believe me, nothing has more impact on a player than a public rebuke. If he has the heart of a champion, then he will want to make the person who rebuked him eat his words. Otherwise, he will continue to flatter only to deceive.
By the way, Prakash himself took responsibility to up his game by travelling to Denmark and was there for a few years to train and practise with the Danish players, after which he became the world-beater that he was. So when he talks about taking responsibility, he knows what he is saying.
As far back as 2017/18, Prakash, who I unfortunately meet rarely, had told me about this kid, Lakshya Sen. He had taken him under his wing and was his guide and mentor. He would have watched Lakshya’s progress step by step. As he came to the cusp of an Olympic medal, Prakash was by the courtside along with the hard-working and indefatigable Vimal Kumar to see the fulfilment of not just Lakshya’s dream but also that of the entire community of Indian badminton lovers.
To then see a 20-17 and 7-0 lead being squandered off in the semifinal and then lose the bronze medal match after winning the first game comfortably must have been gut-wrenching indeed. He, Vimal Kumar, the BAI and the government’s TOPS had done everything possible, but when it came to the crunch, Lakshya was, in the famous words of the Indian cricket team captain, “ garden mein ghoomne wala.”
For those who watched both the semifinal and the bronze medal matches, it did appear that Lakshya had lost his trend of thought and concentration in the way he looked at his racquet as he sipped from his water bottle in between points or at the changeovers. I could be completely wrong, but on TV, it looked like a blank expression, and that’s usually a sign that the mind has wandered. Concentration and focus are things that no coach or trainer can ever teach. It can be developed over the years by the athlete by observing other champions and having an inner resolve, but there’s no specific programme for it. Yes, mind trainers are around, but they can only do so much and not more. It’s got to be within the athlete.
If there was one magnificent example of the mind conquering everything, it could be seen in how P. R. Sreejesh, our super duper hockey goalkeeper, guarded his post. It was best illustrated in the shootout against Great Britain, where he put his life on the line for his country. He, of course, does it every game, but that was a make-or-break game against Great Britain. His determination, doggedness and never-say-die spirit rubbed off on his teammates as they played remarkable hockey to bring India a bronze medal. It was heartwarming and uplifting — the kind that makes the heart swell with pride.
India may not have won as many medals as was hoped before the Games began. But the medals and even fourth-placed finishes will hopefully start a sporting culture revolution that will bring more medals of all hues in future world competitions.
The facilities and the funds are all there now, from the Federations, the government, and private sponsors. The focus and resolve, though, have to be the athlete’s responsibility, as the one and only Prakash Padukone says.
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