Nandu Natekar

Nandu M. Natekar (Undivided India, 12 May 1933[1][2] – 28 July 2021) was an Indian badminton national champion.

Career

Natekar won over 100[3] national and international titles for India in a career spanning 15 years.[3] Natekar was the first Indian to win a title abroad, in 1956.[4][5] Natekar was a director of Natekar Sports and Fitness (NSF).

He won the Men's Doubles National Championship a total of six times,[6] Men's Singles National Championship a total of six times,[7] and Mixed Doubles National Championship a total of five times.[8]

He was an alumnus of Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai.[9] His son, Gaurav Natekar, is a seven-time Indian National Champion in tennis.[10]

Natekar died in Pune on 28 July 2021 at the age of 88.[11][12]

Achievements
  • Won National level Men's Singles and Doubles Championship, as well as Mixed Doubles, multiple times in India.[3][13]
  • 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.[14]
  • 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.[4][5]
  • Recipient of the first Arjuna Award instituted in 1961.[3][14]
  • Voted the most popular sportsperson of India in 1961.[3]
  • 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.[4]
  • Represented India at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica in 1966.[14]
  • Awarded Meritorious Service Award by the IBF in 1989.[15]
  • Honoured at the Jagatik Marathi Parishad in Mauritius in 1991.[14]
  • Awarded Life-time Achievement Award by the Petroleum Sports Control Board of India in January 2001.[16]
  • Awarded Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar in 2002, titled Ratna Saurabh.[14]

References
  1. "Reference India: M-R". 2003.
  2. "Nandu Natekar, India's first badminton hero, passes away | Badminton News – Times of India".
  3. "Natekar.com". Archived from the original on 7 February 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  4. PIB.NIC.IN
  5. WebIndia123
  6. In the years 1955,1956,1958,1960,1961,1963 – Badminton India Archives – Men's Doubles
  7. In the years 1953,1954,1958,1960,1961,1965 – Badminton India Archives – Men's Singles
  8. In the years 1953,1954,1961,1966,1970 – Badminton India Archives – Mixed Doubles
  9. "Ruia College – Awards and Distinctions". Archived from the original on 5 January 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  10. Indian Express (newspaper)
  11. Scroll Staff. "Indian badminton legend Nandu Natekar dies at 88". Scroll.in. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  12. "Indian badminton great Nandu Natekar passes away". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  13. Badminton India Archives – Individual Championships
  14. Indiantelevision.com
  15. Badminton India Archives – Awards
  16. "The Hindu (newspaper)". Archived from the original on 4 March 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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