Prakash Padukone, born on June 10, 1955, is a former Indian badminton player who achieved significant success in his career. In 1980, he reached the pinnacle of his career by becoming the World No. 1 ranked player and the first Indian to win the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships.

Padukone’s journey in badminton began under the guidance of his father, Ramesh Padukone, who was actively involved in the “Mysore Badminton Association.” He participated in his first official tournament, the Karnataka state junior championship, in 1962, and though he lost in the initial round, he eventually won the state junior title two years later. In 1971, Padukone adopted a more aggressive playing style, which proved successful as he won the Indian national junior title in 1972 and the senior title the same year. He went on to win the National title consecutively for the next seven years.

In 1978, Padukone achieved his first major international victory by winning the men’s singles gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. The following year, he emerged victorious at the “Evening of Champions” event held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. However, his most significant accomplishment came in 1980 when he won the Danish Open, the Swedish Open, and the prestigious All England Championship. By winning the All England Championship, Padukone became the first Indian to secure the men’s singles title, defeating his Indonesian rival, Liem Swie King.