Deepika Padukone ka ‘smash-hit’ anmol tohfa Pappa Prakash Padukone ko unkay 70th Bday ke liye ! by Chaitanya Padukone

In mega-star Deepika Padukone’s debut Hindi movie ‘Om Shanti Om’ (2007) innovative celeb director Farah Khan included a mascot ‘badminton’ game scene in a ‘70s era song sequence “Dhoom Taana’  Where former badminton-champ Deepika is shown briefly ‘playing’ badminton on-screen with her co-star hero iconic Shah Rukh Khan. And the movie 'OSO' turned out to be a ‘Smash-Hit’ at the box-office.  Incidentally, in badminton, ‘smash-hit’ word is used for an overhead racket stroke-shot hit with a hard downward trajectory of the ‘shuttlecock’ !.

As she has declared earlier, the  Four-times Filmfare Awards winner actress Deepika’s ‘real-life’ hero has always been her tall, handsome sports-icon father Prakash Padukone ( former world badminton champ)

On Tuesday June 10th on Prakash Padukone’s 70th birthday, devoted star-daughter Deepika Padukone  announced the launch of 'Padukone School of Badminon (PSB)' on her father's 70th birthday. The actor shared the news on her official Instagram account, with a sentimental note, dedicated to her father and legendary badminton player, Prakash Padukone.

The caption on Deepika's post read, "As someone who grew up playing badminton, I’ve experienced firsthand how much this sport can shape one’s life – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Through Padukone School of Badminton(PSB), we hope to bring the joy and discipline of Badminton to people from all walks of life, and build a generation that is healthier, more focused, and inspired by sport. Pappa, those who know you well, know your passion for this sport.That even at 70, all you do is eat, sleep and breathe Badminton.And we are committed to making your passion a reality: Badminton for All ! Happy 70th Birthday Pappa !"

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A post shared by दीपिका पादुकोण (@deepikapadukone)

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A post shared by दीपिका पादुकोण (@deepikapadukone)

As mentioned in an official press release shared by the actor, Padukone School of Badminton is expanding to 75 centres a year, targeting 250 centres by 2027 to champion the cause of 'Badminton for All'. The school has already established over 75 grassroots coaching centres across 18 Indian cities - including Bengaluru, NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Pune, Nashik, Mysuru, Panipat, Dehradun, Udaipur, Coimbatore, Sangli, and Surat - within its first year of operations.

The enterprising Deepika Padukone described this brilliant vision as her contribution to making India a healthier, fitter and a more sports-friendly nation. The ‘exuberant ‘Chennai Express’ and ‘Piku’ heroine  said, "As someone who grew up playing badminton, I’ve experienced firsthand how much this sport can shape one’s life – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Through PSB, I hope we can bring the joy and discipline of badminton to people from all walks of life, and build a generation that is healthier, more focused, and inspired by sport."

Her father, former World No. 1 and former All-England Champion, badminton icon,  has joined PSB as a mentor and advisor. He underscored the importance of discipline and resilience, while explaining what PSB means to him.

Expressed modest Prakash Padukone  known for his cool, calm demeanor in personal life,  "Sport is an integral part of growing up – it instills discipline, resilience, and a winning mindset that extends well beyond the court. With PSB, our goal is to make quality coaching accessible and affordable, nurture talent from the grassroots, and set a strong foundation for the future of Indian badminton," he said in a statement.

PSB’s vision is to democratise access to quality and affordable badminton coaching, providing opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels. With over 100 coaches trained under a structured certification program and access to cutting-edge facilities, PSB’s coaching system ensures consistency, quality, and the ability to identify and nurture future champions.

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