Prakash Padukone (born June 10, 1955) is a famous badminton player from Karnataka, India.
Prakash was initiated into the game at a tender age by his father Ramesh Padukone, who was the Secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association for many years.
Padukone's first official tournament was the Karnataka state junior championship in 1962. Though he lost in the very first round, two years later he managed to win the state junior title. He changed his playing style into a more aggressive style in 1971, and won the Indian national junior title in 1972. He also won the senior title the same year. He won the Indian national title consecutively for the next seven years, until 1979. In 1975, he joined the Union Bank of India as a probationary officer where he continued till 1986.
In 1979, he won his first major international title, that of the Commonwealth Games. Wins at the London Masters’ Open, the Denmark Open and the Swedish Open. He won the coveted All England Open title in 1980 with a victory over Indonesian rival Liem Swie King. He spent much of his international career training in Denmark, and developed close friendships with European players such as Morten Frost.[1]
Prakash currently lives in Bangalore with wife Ujjala and two daughters, and runs the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy. He was awarded the Arjuna award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982.
After his retirement in 1991, he was the chairman of the Badminton Association of India for a short while. He was the coach of the Indian national badminton team in 1993 and 1996.
He recently had his biography released at the 2006 nationals. The book, Touchplay, is written by Dev Sukumar.
Prakash is also the father of model and actress, Deepika Padukone.
Known as the `Gentle Tiger' on court, Prakash Padukone, is the only Indian to reach the top of the World Badminton honours by winning the All England Championship in 1981. Born on June 10th 1956 he won his first National Men's singles at the Indian Nationals when he was only 15 years old (he also won the Juniors title at that Nationals). He won the Nationals 9 years in a row from 1971 till 1979 and did not play at the nationals again till 1989.
At the Commonwealth games in 1978, he was the gold medallist. 1980 was his best year, in the months leading up to the All-England, he dominated the top European players, consistently beating Fleming Delfs, Morten Frost Hansen and Svend Pri (all All-England champions themselves), and won the Danish Open and the Swedish Open. Seeded third at the All-England, he beat Morten Frost in the semifinals and Liem Swie King in the finals in straight games. He lost in the quarterfinals at the World Cup that year.
In 1981 at the All-England Championships, he was seeded only sixth although he was the defending champion. But he came back to beat the legendary Rudy Hartono in 3 games in the semifinals. In the finals, he was pitted against Liem Swie King again, but this time King beat him in 3 games.
In 1982 Padukone turned pro, and moved to Denmark because of the better training facilities.
He retired from competitive play in 1991.
These days Prakash runs an academy for training badminton players in Bangalore.
Major Achievements:
Was National Senior Champion for Nine Years in a row from 1971 to 1979.
Commonwealth games Gold medal winner in 1978 at Edmonton, Canada.
English Masters at Royal Albert Hall, London in 1979.
Won the Danish Open, Swedish Open and the All England Championships in 1980.
Became a licensed player in December 1980 & moved to Copenhagen, Denmark.
Winner of the first Alba World Cup in October 1981 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Won the First Indian Open Prize Money Tournament at Pune during November 1981.
Won the Dutch Open in 1982.
Won the Hong Kong Open in 1982.
Winner of the Bronze Medal in the World Championships held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1983.
"Arjuna Award" winner in 1972.
Awarded "Padmashree" in 1982.
Manager of the Indian Team which won the Silver Medal in the Men's Event & Bronze Medal in the Women's Event of the Commonwealth Games 1998.
Prakash was initiated into the game at a tender age by his father Ramesh Padukone, who was the Secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association for many years.
Padukone's first official tournament was the Karnataka state junior championship in 1962. Though he lost in the very first round, two years later he managed to win the state junior title. He changed his playing style into a more aggressive style in 1971, and won the Indian national junior title in 1972. He also won the senior title the same year. He won the Indian national title consecutively for the next seven years, until 1979. In 1975, he joined the Union Bank of India as a probationary officer where he continued till 1986.
In 1979, he won his first major international title, that of the Commonwealth Games. Wins at the London Masters’ Open, the Denmark Open and the Swedish Open. He won the coveted All England Open title in 1980 with a victory over Indonesian rival Liem Swie King. He spent much of his international career training in Denmark, and developed close friendships with European players such as Morten Frost.[1]
Prakash currently lives in Bangalore with wife Ujjala and two daughters, and runs the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy. He was awarded the Arjuna award in 1972 and the Padma Shri in 1982.
After his retirement in 1991, he was the chairman of the Badminton Association of India for a short while. He was the coach of the Indian national badminton team in 1993 and 1996.
He recently had his biography released at the 2006 nationals. The book, Touchplay, is written by Dev Sukumar.
Prakash is also the father of model and actress, Deepika Padukone.
Known as the `Gentle Tiger' on court, Prakash Padukone, is the only Indian to reach the top of the World Badminton honours by winning the All England Championship in 1981. Born on June 10th 1956 he won his first National Men's singles at the Indian Nationals when he was only 15 years old (he also won the Juniors title at that Nationals). He won the Nationals 9 years in a row from 1971 till 1979 and did not play at the nationals again till 1989.
At the Commonwealth games in 1978, he was the gold medallist. 1980 was his best year, in the months leading up to the All-England, he dominated the top European players, consistently beating Fleming Delfs, Morten Frost Hansen and Svend Pri (all All-England champions themselves), and won the Danish Open and the Swedish Open. Seeded third at the All-England, he beat Morten Frost in the semifinals and Liem Swie King in the finals in straight games. He lost in the quarterfinals at the World Cup that year.
In 1981 at the All-England Championships, he was seeded only sixth although he was the defending champion. But he came back to beat the legendary Rudy Hartono in 3 games in the semifinals. In the finals, he was pitted against Liem Swie King again, but this time King beat him in 3 games.
In 1982 Padukone turned pro, and moved to Denmark because of the better training facilities.
He retired from competitive play in 1991.
These days Prakash runs an academy for training badminton players in Bangalore.
Major Achievements:
Was National Senior Champion for Nine Years in a row from 1971 to 1979.
Commonwealth games Gold medal winner in 1978 at Edmonton, Canada.
English Masters at Royal Albert Hall, London in 1979.
Won the Danish Open, Swedish Open and the All England Championships in 1980.
Became a licensed player in December 1980 & moved to Copenhagen, Denmark.
Winner of the first Alba World Cup in October 1981 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Won the First Indian Open Prize Money Tournament at Pune during November 1981.
Won the Dutch Open in 1982.
Won the Hong Kong Open in 1982.
Winner of the Bronze Medal in the World Championships held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1983.
"Arjuna Award" winner in 1972.
Awarded "Padmashree" in 1982.
Manager of the Indian Team which won the Silver Medal in the Men's Event & Bronze Medal in the Women's Event of the Commonwealth Games 1998.
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