Let it be a quiz. Name a personality who is a great-great grandson of legendary poet Michael Madhusudan Datta, a recipient of Padma Sri in 2001, have married ex-wife of Sunjay Dutt, and born in Goa but brought up in Kolkata. [Left image courtesy]
Well the answer is Leander Paes. Leander has brought many glories to the country, including winning singles bronze in Atlanta Olympics in 1996 that earned India the first individual Olympics medal in 4 decades after KD Jadhav won a bronze in 1952 (to imagine this plight of my country brings me SHAME!).
After Leander and Sania Mirza won the mixed doubles’ last December at Doha Asian Games, he nearly choked with emotion on the victory stand when the national anthem was being played. Leander is out and out nationalist and never shirks away from playing for the country at any event.
True he is missed in Kolkata since setting his new home in Mumbai, but his never-dying spirit is never missed. One recalls the trying times he faced during serious ailment last year and his coming out of it bravely.
Leander paired with Mahesh Bhupathi to win many tourneys, but after their mutual separation, now is the first time he is all set to regain ATP top rank in men’s doubles.
He and his Czech partner Martin Damm won men’s doubles in last year’s US Open, the only Grand Slam feather that was hitherto missing in his cap. This and other wins have catapulted the pair to no.2 spot in ATP rankings.
If the 2 can now win Rome Masters next week, there is every chance that Leander will once again become a co-occupant of no.1 ATP men’s doubles rank. A great feat by any measure for Leander. Here’s wishing him all the success.
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