There was a time when badminton wasn’t a sport people spoke about in India. Cricket had its heroes, hockey had its legends, but badminton? It was just a game played in streets and clubs. Then came a man who changed it all. Nandu Natekar. A name that made the world look at India differently, a player who made the country believe that badminton wasn’t just a pastime—it was a sport where Indians could shine.
Imagine this—it's 1956, the Selangor International Badminton Championship in Malaysia. The crowd is full of players from powerhouse countries—Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark. Nobody expects an Indian to go far. But match after match, this man with effortless grace and deadly precision keeps winning. The final arrives. A few minutes later, history is made. Nandu Natekar becomes the first Indian to win an international badminton title. A moment that should have been on the front pages of newspapers, but badminton didn’t get that kind of recognition back then. He didn’t mind. His racket spoke louder than words.
Long before players had personal coaches, fitness trainers, and sponsorship deals, there was Nandu Natekar, playing with pure passion and skill. Six times he won the National Championship in India. He walked onto courts where the odds were stacked against him and walked out as a champion. In 1954, he played at the prestigious All England Championships, the biggest stage in badminton, competing against the world’s best. For a country that had never seen success in the sport, this was like an Indian cricketer playing at Lord’s for the first time.
His style was unique. He didn’t rely on brute power—he didn’t need to. His deception was his weapon. One flick of his wrist, and the shuttle would change direction at the last second. Opponents would dive, stretch, and struggle, but the shuttle had already landed softly on their side, just out of reach. He played like a magician, making the shuttle disappear and reappear exactly where he wanted.
But he wasn’t just a singles player. He mastered doubles and mixed doubles too, dominating every format he played. His game had elegance, his presence had calmness, and his achievements had weight. In an era where badminton players didn’t get the limelight, he created his own legacy.
Even after retiring, he remained connected to the sport, watching the next generation carry forward what he had started. Today, when Indian shuttlers win international titles, when they stand on podiums with medals around their necks, they follow the path Natekar paved.
Nandu Natekar wasn’t just a champion. He was a pioneer, a man who proved that India could dream bigger in badminton. And that dream, which started with him, is now a reality.
