NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone marked her father and badminton legend Prakash Padukone’s 70th birthday with a heartfelt tribute on Tuesday. In a press release shared via Instagram, she highlighted a major achievement of the Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), announcing that the institution has now set up over 75 coaching centres across 18 cities in India, including Bengaluru, NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Pune, Nashik, Mysuru, Panipat, Dehradun, Udaipur, Coimbatore, Sangli, and Surat.Deepika said that the school “hope to bring the joy and discipline of Badminton to people from all walks of life.”In her heartfelt Instagram post, she wished her father a happy birthday and wrote, “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!”Ranveer Singh, reacting to the announcement, dropped a heart emoji in the comments section.
The same press release also carried a statement from Prakash Padukone, PSB’s Mentor and Advisor, who shared his vision for the initiative.“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,” Padukone said.
According to the release, PSB collaborates with schools, institutions, and existing venues to establish grassroots academies that feed into its flagship Training Program at the three High-Performance Centres of Excellence in Bengaluru.
