Rajeev Chandrasekhar laid the seed for 2022 Thomas Cup win: Prakash Padukone

The seed for India's historic 2022 Thomas Cup win was sown in 1994, Indian Badminton legend Prakash Padukone has said. The seed that Prakash spoke about was provided by now Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar and BPL CMD Ajit Nambiar.

After India scripted history on May 16 when it defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the final to lift its first-ever Thomas Cup trophy, Prakash shot off a letter to Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Ajit Nambiar recalling their contribution.

Also Read: Thomas Cup 2022: Kidambi Srikanth rates final win as one of his career-best

In the letter, the badminton legend said that most people would not know that the Rajeev and Ajit were instrumental in the Thomas Cup win as it was them who supported the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy way back in 1994. 

Recalling how nobody knew about sponsoring Badminton in India back then, Prakash said Rajeev and Ajit had the vision to support not an event but coaching -- something that unheard of in those days. 

The Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy was the first badminton academy in the world that was privately-backed. In other parts of the world, similar academies were supported by the national governments.
 
'The seed for this victory was laid then,' he wrote, adding, "We will never forget the assistance given to us when we needed it the most."

Expressing his gratitude for their contribution behind the historic occasion, the Badminton legend said, "I remember with gratitude your contribution and wish to thank you, Ajit and the entire BPL family (on behalf of all badminton lovers of this country) for supporting us without knowing what to expect in return and having reposed faith in our abilities. It has been a long wait for all of us but finally the dream has come true. Thank you once again for all that you did for us in those good old days."

To note, Rajeev founded BPL Mobile, one of India's biggest telecom companies then, in 1994.

The Union minister was moved by Prakash's message. In a Twitter post, he said: 'A great person is one who never forgets those who stood by him or her. Prakash Padukone is one such person and I was very moved to receive his message after India's Thomas Cup 2022 win about our association way, way back.'

Also Read: India scripts Badminton history; wins maiden Thomas Cup 2022; PM Modi applauds

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• 1994
• Ajit Nambiar
• Indian badminton
• PPBA
• Prakash Padukone
• Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy
• Pullela Gopichand
• Rajeev Chandrasekhar
• Thomas Cup
• Vimal Kumar
• badminton