Nandu Natekar (born 12 May 1933) is a former Indian badminton player from Maharashtra, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Indian badminton. Active during the 1950s and 1960s, he became the first Indian to win an international badminton title and was a dominant figure in the national circuit, winning the Indian National Badminton Championship multiple times. In 1961, he was awarded the Arjuna Award, becoming the first badminton player to receive the honour.
Key Facts
| Full name | Nandu Madhukar Natekar |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 May 1933 |
| Birthplace | Sangli, Bombay Presidency (present-day Maharashtra), British India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Sport | Badminton |
| Years active | 1950s–1960s |
| Notable honour | Arjuna Award (1961) |
| Family | Father of Gaurav Natekar (tennis player) |
Background
Born in Sangli in western Maharashtra, Nandu Natekar took up badminton in his youth and rose through school and college tournaments before establishing himself in domestic competition. He represented Maharashtra at the inter-state level and went on to play for India in international meets at a time when the sport had limited institutional support in the country.
Career
Natekar represented India in numerous international tournaments across Asia and Europe during the 1950s and 1960s. He participated in the Thomas Cup, the premier men's team championship in world badminton, and was a regular member of the Indian squad through this period. His attacking style of play and deft net game earned him recognition among contemporaries on the international circuit.
Domestically, he was a multiple-time winner of the men's singles title at the Indian National Badminton Championship. He also won doubles and mixed doubles titles in national-level competition. In 1956, he won the men's singles title at the Selangor International tournament in Malaysia, an achievement often cited as the first international badminton title won by an Indian.
Selected achievements
- Multiple-time National Champion in men's singles.
- Member of the Indian Thomas Cup team during the 1950s and 1960s.
- Winner of international titles in Malaysia and other Asian circuits.
- Recipient of the Arjuna Award in 1961, the first badminton player to be so honoured.
Timeline
- 1933: Born in Sangli, Maharashtra.
- 1950s: Emerged as a leading player on the Indian national circuit.
- 1956: Won an international title in Malaysia.
- Late 1950s–1960s: Represented India in Thomas Cup and other international meets.
- 1961: Conferred the Arjuna Award by the Government of India.
Significance
Nandu Natekar is considered a foundational figure in Indian badminton. His success on the international stage in the 1950s came at a time when Indian players rarely featured in major overseas tournaments, and his performances helped establish credibility for the sport in India. Subsequent generations of Indian badminton players, including Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu, have built on the foundation laid in this era.
The Nandu Natekar Award, instituted in his honour, is presented annually to a promising young Indian badminton player to encourage talent at the junior level.
Personal life
Nandu Natekar is the father of Gaurav Natekar, a former national tennis champion of India, and the family has remained active in Indian sport through coaching and sports administration ventures based in Pune.
Related topics
- Badminton in India
- Arjuna Award
- Thomas Cup
- Prakash Padukone
- Badminton Association of India
- Sangli
- Sport in Maharashtra
References
- Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports — list of Arjuna Award recipients.
- Badminton Association of India — historical records of national champions.
- Archival sports reportage of national newspapers covering Indian badminton in the 1950s and 1960s.