Nandu Natekar

{{Short description|Indian badminton player (1933–2021)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox badminton player

| name = Nandu Natekar

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1933|05|12}}

| birth_place = Sangli State, British India{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/nandu-natekar-badminton-dead-7427138/lite/|title=Nandu Natekar passes away: India's 'first superstar of badminton' had a Pune connection|publisher=Indian Express Limited|date=29 July 2021|access-date=23 February 2024}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2021|7|28|1933|5|12}}

|death_place=Pune, Maharashtra, India

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| country = India

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{{MedalSport | Men's badminton }}

{{MedalCountry | {{IND}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | Asian Championships }}

{{MedalBronze | 1965 Lucknow | Men's team }}

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Nandu M. Natekar (12 May 1933{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wGRmAAAAMAAJ&q=Nandu+M.+Natekar+12+May+1933|title=Reference India: M-R|year=2003}}{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/nandu-natekar-indias-first-badminton-hero-passes-away/articleshow/84815575.cms|title=Nandu Natekar, India's first badminton hero, passes away | Badminton News – Times of India|work=The Times of India |date=28 July 2021 }} – 28 July 2021) was an Indian badminton national champion.

Career

Natekar won over 100{{Cite web |url=http://www.natekar.com/abusn.htm |title=Natekar.com |access-date=25 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207092912/http://natekar.com/abusn.htm |archive-date=7 February 2005 |url-status=dead }} national and international titles for India in a career spanning 15 years. Natekar was the first Indian to win a title abroad, in 1956.[http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2003/fjan2003/f220120031.html PIB.NIC.IN][http://www.webindia123.com/Sports/badminton/badmin.htm WebIndia123] Natekar was a director of Natekar Sports and Fitness (NSF).

He won the Men's Doubles National Championship a total of six times,In the years 1955,1956,1958,1960,1961,1963 – [http://www.badmintonindia.org/archives/archives/nc_md.htm Badminton India Archives – Men's Doubles] Men's Singles National Championship a total of six times,In the years 1953,1954,1958,1960,1961,1965 – [http://www.badmintonindia.org/archives/archives/nc_ms.htm Badminton India Archives – Men's Singles] and Mixed Doubles National Championship a total of five times.In the years 1953,1954,1961,1966,1970 – [http://www.badmintonindia.org/archives/archives/nc_mxd.htm Badminton India Archives – Mixed Doubles]

He was an alumnus of Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ruiacollege.edu/awards_%26_distinctions.htm |title=Ruia College – Awards and Distinctions |access-date=25 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105122728/http://www.ruiacollege.edu/awards_%26_distinctions.htm |archive-date=5 January 2008 |url-status=dead }} His son, Gaurav Natekar, is a seven-time Indian National Champion in tennis.[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990311/isp11081.html Indian Express (newspaper)]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Natekar died in Pune on 28 July 2021 at the age of 88.{{Cite web|author=Scroll Staff|title=Indian badminton legend Nandu Natekar dies at 88|url=https://scroll.in/field/1001292/indian-badminton-legend-nandu-natekar-dies-at-88|access-date=28 July 2021|website=Scroll.in|date=28 July 2021 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Indian badminton great Nandu Natekar passes away|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/indian-badminton-great-nandu-natekar-passes-away/cid/1824228|access-date=28 July 2021|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}

Achievements

  • Won National level Men's Singles and Doubles Championship, as well as Mixed Doubles, multiple times in India.[http://www.badmintonindia.org/archives/championships_individual.htm Badminton India Archives – Individual Championships]
  • 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.[http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k2/apr/apr101a.htm Indiantelevision.com]
  • 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.
  • Recipient of the first Arjuna Award instituted in 1961.
  • Voted the most popular sportsperson of India in 1961.
  • 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.
  • Represented India at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica in 1966.
  • Awarded Meritorious Service Award by the IBF in 1989.[http://www.badmintonindia.org/archives/archives/a_IBFMS.htm Badminton India Archives – Awards]
  • Honoured at the Jagatik Marathi Parishad in Mauritius in 1991.
  • Awarded Life-time Achievement Award by the Petroleum Sports Control Board of India in January 2001.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/30/stories/07300964.htm |title=The Hindu (newspaper) |access-date=25 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070304224533/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/30/stories/07300964.htm |archive-date=4 March 2007 |url-status=usurped }}
  • Awarded Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar in 2002, titled Ratna Saurabh.

References

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