Thursday, May 23rd 06:20 PM IST
 

Saina Nehwal has eclipsed Prakash Padukone

Durga Raghunath

At the age of 22, Saina has won her sixth World title. While Prakash Padukone was our first outstanding badminton player, Saina eclipses him as not just the reigning badminton star but as the greatest woman sportsperson India might have ever produced. If sports aura is not just about math, but gumption, fight and hardwork, Saina epitomizes those qualities in a modern, hypercompetitive world as a true sporting great.read less read more

Ashish Magotra

Why do players need to be compared across eras? Indeed, why do they need to be compared at all? Many might say that Saina’s Olympic medal gives her the edge over Padukone but then also remember that in Padukone’s time badminton was not an Olympic sport. And while Saina’s achievements are great, Padukone was the first, he was a pioneer and every badminton player in India has been inspired by Padukone at some time or the other. There can be no matching that.read less read more