It was a record in itself that a fifteen or sixteen-year-old teenager became the junior national champion in a sport and, almost in the same year, won the senior national championship as well. Prakash, with his stormy gameplay, continually won the hearts of the audience and eventually elevated badminton to a level where it became the second most popular sport for the new generation, after cricket.
Seven-year-old Prakash didn't achieve this miracle overnight, but his relentless dedication and hard work steadily led him to this goal. His first failure in the junior state championship had such a profound impact on him that just two years later, he became the junior champion of Karnataka state at the age of only nine.
This young boy, who considered his game his life, faced a new challenge when he moved to a prestigious school in Bangalore after completing his primary education. Along with a healthy body, Prakash had grown quite tall, which resulted in more girls than boys becoming part of his audience. Whether it was the school ground or the badminton court at the club, a large crowd would gather to watch his game and encourage him, which added to the pressure on him to perform even better. He didn’t slack in this regard and constantly improved his game. His parents, along with his siblings, also supported him throughout this journey.
While one doesn’t always face top-tier opponents, Prakash treated every competitor with the same seriousness and played with complete dedication. Playing and defeating older players further boosted his confidence.
Prakash came from a family where his father was not only the secretary of the Mysore Badminton Association for a long time but also an excellent player himself. He learned many tricks of the game from his father. However, this fact posed a new challenge for him. Playing with his father and older opponents made him a somewhat defensive player, as respect, hesitation, and junior status held him back from being more aggressive.
Prakash soon recognized this limitation. To achieve the goal he had set for his life, this defensive style wouldn't suffice. He continuously worked to change and control this weakness, gradually adopting a more aggressive style, and his game became faster and more dynamic.
Since his father was an official of the Badminton Association, Prakash also took an interest in raising issues related to players. From the beginning, he believed that players should receive timely support from the government so that they could reach their dreams early in life, like athletes in developed countries. Such thoughts made him popular and accepted among his fellow players, and his confidence grew day by day.
This handsome and serious teenager, full of energy, continued racing toward his goal. Winning numerous tournaments in schools and clubs, Prakash was already a national sensation by the age of fifteen. The next year, at sixteen, he followed his junior national title with the senior national title in a miraculous fashion.
As a talented player, his statements attracted attention from sports officials and also acted as a wake-up call for the government. The result of this was that the very next year, when the government announced the prestigious Arjuna Awards, the name of this seventeen-year-old boy, Prakash, was shining in the list. It was a proud moment not only for Karnataka but also for all badminton enthusiasts. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi presented him with this award.
It is often observed that big awards are given to players after they have passed their prime and are nearing the end of their career. This trend is not limited to sports but extends to fields like art, literature, and cinema. After a player receives a big award, the audience's interest in them usually wanes because they no longer expect them to perform at the same level, believing they are now media stars and no longer dedicated to the field. However, this wasn’t the case with Prakash. This simple and dedicated young man remained immersed in his game with the same enthusiasm and agility, as if he had no idea what winning awards or earning money meant in sports. All that mattered to him was playing, his obsession with winning, and his deep love for his racket.
He showed no interest in the girls asking for his autograph after a match, nor was he overwhelmed by the audience's applause and cheers. His sole focus was on defeating his opponents one by one. Despite numerous achievements, his face never showed a hint of pride or even a slight smile.
At around the same time, a popular song in Amitabh Bachchan’s movie Zanjeer, filmed on actor Pran, went—"Teri Hansi Ki Keemat Kya Hai, Yeh Bata De Tu"—as if the lyricist had written it after watching Prakash on the badminton court!
Prakash's passion and obsession for the sport led him to continue scaling new heights of success even after receiving the Arjuna Award at a young age. The national champion title he earned before even reaching full maturity, he held onto for many years to come.
This light called Prakash only kept shining brighter!
