Indian badminton player (1933–2021)
Badminton player
Nandu M. Natekar (12 May 1933[ 2] [ 3] – 28 July 2021) was an Indian badminton national champion.
Career
Natekar won over 100[ 4] national and international titles for India in a career spanning 15 years.[ 4] Natekar was the first Indian to win a title abroad, in 1956.[ 5] [ 6] Natekar was a director of Natekar Sports and Fitness (NSF).
He won the Men's Doubles National Championship a total of six times,[ 7] Men's Singles National Championship a total of six times,[ 8] and Mixed Doubles National Championship a total of five times.[ 9]
He was an alumnus of Ramnarain Ruia College , Mumbai.[ 10] His son, Gaurav Natekar , is a seven-time Indian National Champion in tennis .[ 11]
Natekar died in Pune on 28 July 2021 at the age of 88.[ 12] [ 13]
Achievements
Won National level Men's Singles and Doubles Championship, as well as Mixed Doubles, multiple times in India.[ 4] [ 14]
He has reached the last 8 in the All England Championships.
Included among 'the Greats' in a souvenir published by Malaysia during the Thomas Cup series in 1954–55.[ 15]
Men's Singles Champion in the Selangor International Tournament in Kuala Lumpur in 1956. His victory was also the first international victory by an Indian badminton player.[ 5] [ 6]
Recipient of the first Arjuna Award instituted in 1961.[ 4] [ 15]
Voted the most popular sportsperson of India in 1961.[ 4]
Natekar and Meena Shaw won the Mixed Doubles title at Bangkok's King's Cup International Tournament in 1962. Won the Men's Singles title at the same event in 1963.[ 5]
Represented India at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica in 1966.[ 15]
Awarded Meritorious Service Award by the IBF in 1989.[ 16]
Honoured at the Jagatik Marathi Parishad in Mauritius in 1991.[ 15]
Awarded Life-time Achievement Award by the Petroleum Sports Control Board of India in January 2001.[ 17]
Awarded Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar in 2002, titled Ratna Saurabh .[ 15]
References
^ "Nandu Natekar passes away: India's 'first superstar of badminton' had a Pune connection" . Indian Express Limited . 29 July 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2024 .
^ "Reference India: M-R" . 2003.
^ "Nandu Natekar, India's first badminton hero, passes away | Badminton News – Times of India" .
^ a b c d e "Natekar.com" . Archived from the original on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2007 .
^ a b c PIB.NIC.IN
^ a b WebIndia123
^ In the years 1955,1956,1958,1960,1961,1963 – Badminton India Archives – Men's Doubles
^ In the years 1953,1954,1958,1960,1961,1965 – Badminton India Archives – Men's Singles
^ In the years 1953,1954,1961,1966,1970 – Badminton India Archives – Mixed Doubles
^ "Ruia College – Awards and Distinctions" . Archived from the original on 5 January 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007 .
^ Indian Express (newspaper) [permanent dead link ]
^ Scroll Staff. "Indian badminton legend Nandu Natekar dies at 88" . Scroll.in . Retrieved 28 July 2021 .
^ "Indian badminton great Nandu Natekar passes away" . www.telegraphindia.com . Retrieved 28 July 2021 .
^ Badminton India Archives – Individual Championships
^ a b c d e Indiantelevision.com
^ Badminton India Archives – Awards
^ "The Hindu (newspaper)" . Archived from the original on 4 March 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007 .{{cite web }}
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External links