Prakash also didn't find it appealing to just rest and do nothing after retiring from active life.
After serving as the president of the Badminton Association of India for a few years, this remarkably talented player realized that while the younger generation always had passion and determination for the game, they often lacked proper guidance. In his case, he had received this guidance from his father, who was also deeply involved in badminton and held a prestigious position in the sports world. However, not every player is so fortunate.
Moreover, in India, people’s perspective toward sports has always been a bit different. Parents in India rarely think that a sport can become a child’s career or future. No matter how talented a child is, the first advice they receive is to focus on their studies. Sports are often viewed as just a hobby or a part-time activity.
In many developed countries, it’s quite the opposite. There, potential talent is recognized early on, and children are placed under intense training to nurture their future in sports. You might see toddlers in the hands of strict coaches, diving into swimming pools, or dressed in full cricket gear wielding a bat. Tiny children are often seen mastering chess or tennis.
This is why, in global competitions like the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, or World Cups, you see 14 or 15-year-olds winning a series of medals. In contrast, in India, even highly skilled adult players often find themselves waiting for government scholarships, assistance, or memberships in major clubs.
Although the situation is slowly changing, during the last decade of the previous century, this problem was quite prevalent. Prakash noticed this, just like some of his fellow successful players from other sports. He too felt that something needed to be done in this regard.
Having held the senior national champion title for nine consecutive years, Prakash knew firsthand the challenges that even talented players face without proper guidance. The tragic example of the gifted player Syed Modi was fresh in the nation’s memory. Modi, who became a national champion after Prakash, lost his life in 1988 due to an unfortunate incident. Though Modi's death was the result of a tragic love triangle, many experts still believe that if he had a capable mentor to steer him clear of such distractions during the peak of his career, the story might have been different.
Prakash had strictly adhered to the discipline of not allowing anything to distract him until he achieved his life’s most important goals.
Well, such things depend on fate and personality, and no one can be blamed. Nonetheless, Prakash felt a strong desire to become a true guardian and well-wisher for the new generation of players, offering them sincere and supportive guidance.
He also wanted to do something concrete to increase India’s chances of winning medals at the Olympic Games.
From 1993 to 1996, he took on the important role of coaching the Indian badminton team. When emerging players see a coach as golden-handed as Prakash Padukone guiding them, their confidence soars. For three years, young players benefited immensely from his valuable tips. There’s a long list of players who succeeded under his mentorship.
During this time, Prakash and his family also witnessed some interesting developments.
Both his daughters didn’t just spend their childhood playing with dolls or in the company of friends; like their father, they too dreamed of becoming top athletes for their country. Being a world-class player, Prakash was always surrounded by the media and photographers. His children grew up sensing the cameras’ eyes on them as well. It was common for little snippets about them to appear in the media from time to time.
The last decade of the century saw a significant shift in people’s attitudes, views, and entertainment related to sports worldwide.
During this decade, India witnessed its athletes making a breakthrough in international competitions. India also saw that in sports like cricket, the country could become a world leader.
With the advent of advanced media technologies, athletes began making headlines and becoming sensations globally. Stories of athletes drawing the world’s attention and becoming overnight stars, for better or worse, began to surface.
Steffi Graf, who dominated tennis for 22 consecutive times at the top tournaments, graced the covers of many prestigious sports magazines. One wealthy magazine group even offered her a million dollars to pose nude for their magazine.
Meanwhile, the rising star Monica Seles faced a life-threatening attack by a crazed fan on the playing field.
Across the world, efforts by athletes to draw media attention, sometimes through questionable means, attracted attention.
Players were seen taking pictures with fans in scanty clothes, flashing their underwear during exciting moments of the game, and even stripping in a packed stadium after winning. These antics began creeping into sports as well.
The trend didn’t stop there. Prominent photographers from leading newspapers and magazines even began infiltrating players’ changing rooms.
And so, even sports became a game!
