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It is now half-a-century since Prakash Padukone first gave indications of things to come. It was at the National championship at Chennai (then Madras) in February 1972 that as a 16-year-old he won the first of his several senior national badminton titles in a row on the way to becoming a legendary Indian sportsman.
I well remember the events of the tournament which was held at the corporation indoor stadium in the heart of the city. The Nationals were to be held in December the previous year but had to be put off owing to the India-Pakistan war over Bangladesh's liberation.
Prakash Padukone, tall and slim, was considered as just another talented youngster. He had come with the Karnataka (then Mysore) team and was tipped to take the national junior title. This he duly did, but by that time he had become the talk of the badminton fraternity in the country.
Padukone took part in the senior event too and the general feeling was that he would win a match or two. The first surprise came in the pre-quarterfinal when he got the better of the vastly experienced K. K. Cheema. This put him up against the defending champion Suresh Goel who had always been his idol.
Goel had won the national singles title five times and predictably enough was the overwhelming favourite. But mentally strong, and physically very fit, Padukone matched the Indian great stroke for stroke and after losing the first game he took the second.
In the decider Goel led 5-2 only for Padukone to go ahead 11-8. Showing no signs of nerves he maintained the lead and took the game 15-11. The applause from the packed crowd was loud and long. It was one of the greatest upsets in Indian badminton history.
Could his dream run continue? That was then the debating point. Popular opinion had it that it would end in the semifinals where Padukone was to meet a crafty and experienced campaigner in Romen Ghosh.Side by side Padukone was taking part in the juniors event. That day he had to play three matches – junior singles semifinal, junior doubles final and the match against Romen Ghosh.
Padukone won the junior semi final before taking on Ghosh. He had already been stung to the quick by a senior player remarking that his victory over Goel was a ``fluke'. A determined Padukone retorted "I shall show them tomorrow".
Again he lost the first game but Padukone was ruthless in the second taking it for the loss of just two points. Just before the decider started there was a power failure. It was absolutely dark in the stadium, it got pretty stuffy and the crowd was getting restless.
As soon as the lights came on after half an hour the match resumed. Padukone, because of the break, had lost the momentum. Ghosh raced to a 11-4 lead, just four points away for a spot in the final. But the lead evaporated as Padukone suddenly found his touch back.
The crowd went wild with excitement. Here was a kid taking on a veteran and they were vociferously for the underdog. Prakash Padukone took the decider and suddenly he was in the men's singles final besides being a finalist in the junior singles.
The following day he was up against Punjab's Devinder Ahuja, another surprise finalist who had got the better of Romen's brother Dipu in the other semifinal. The packed stadium was rooting for Padukone who again lost the first game.
He fought back to take the second. The decider had the spectators cheering for every point as fortunes fluctuated. Padukone took a 5-0 lead only for Ahuja to level and then go ahead 13-10. Two points away from a title triumph Ahuja faltered and Padukone drew level.
The game went to extra points and Padukone went ahead 14-13. Ahuja levelled but then Padukone surged ahead to be up 17-14. He had match point but now he faltered and Ahuja drew level at 17. He now had a match point which Padukone saved.
Then Prakash had a match point which Ahuja staved off. Finally Padukone served and Ahuja made a high return. Padukone decided to leave it and the shuttle fell over the line by inches.
The spectators were up on their feet shouting and cheering and hailing the new champ. Amazingly a 16-year-old from Mysore has won the men's singles title. Incidentally half an hour after the men's final he took the court again for the junior final which he won in straight games.
Suddenly the teenager was the buzz in the badminton, nay sporting fraternity of the country. Great things were predicted for Prakash Padukone, he fulfilled all those expectations. The peak being winning the all England title in 1980, to become a legendary Indian sportsman. But he will never forget where it all started – the corporation indoor stadium in Madras in February 1972.
