India’s badminton sensation Lakshya Sen recounted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi how his coach, Prakash Padukone, confiscated his phone throughout the Paris Olympics. During an Independence Day event in New Delhi, where PM Modi felicitated the Olympians, Lakshya shared that this strict rule kept him unaware of the social media buzz surrounding him during the Games.
Prakash Padukone, serving as the head coach for India’s badminton team at the Paris Olympics, has earned a reputation for his strict discipline. In a video, PM Modi asked Lakshya if he was aware of the growing fan support during the Games. Lakshya responded by revealing the strict guidelines set by his coach, stating, “Prakash Sir took away my phone during the matches and said I would only get it back afterward. But yes, I received a lot of support. The Paris Olympics was a good learning experience for me, though it was a bit heartbreaking to come so close yet miss out. I’ll do my best next time,” Lakshya told PM Modi.
Despite Lakshya’s strong performance, which earned praise from fans and even World Number 1 Viktor Axelsen, he narrowly missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics. Prakash Padukone openly expressed his disappointment, emphasizing the importance of athletes taking responsibility for their performances.
India entered the Paris Olympics with high expectations in badminton, particularly with the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the Asian Games champions, who were strong contenders for a historic gold medal. Alongside them, PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, and Lakshya Sen competed in the singles category, with Lakshya advancing the farthest among the Indian shuttlers.
