Natekar regrets not having given back to badminton

Encomiums were showered on Nandu Natekar, the first Indian shuttler to clinch an international title overseas, during his induction into the elite 'Legends Club' as the first non-cricketer here on his 83rd birthday.
In his acceptance speech on the occasion here last evening, Natekar said, "This one takes the cake. It's an absolutely unique honour to become a member of this club as only the sixth member."
Natekar has been added to the elite list of club members that include cricket legends Vijay Merchant, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, with Kapil Dev set to be added as the seventh member on his 58th birthday on January 6, 2017.

Natekar, who travelled to the Cricket Club of India - that patronises the Legends Club - from his present home in Pune, recalled his journey as a badminton player and at the fag-end of the speech expressed regret that he had not given back anything to the shuttle game after his playing days.
"I have a confession to make. So many people talk about giving back to the game through coaching - like Prakash Padukone, (Pullela) Gopichand and Uday Pawar, who is here, are doing. I did nothing of the sort," said Natekar who had reached the singles quarter-finals of the All-England Championship, then considered the unofficial world championships, in his only appearance in 1954 through the 'Natekar Fund', set up by badminton lovers.

Natekar, the first Indian to breach the championship

barrier at the international level when he won the Selangor singles title in Malaysia in 1956, also recalled how he could have made some extra money through endorsement deals during his career, but was advised against doing so as it was against the then followed amateur status.
"Subhya (ace leg spinner Subhash Gupte) and (world billiards champion) Wilson Jones had lined up two deals for me. Six weeks of Brylcream at Rs 600 per month for six months and six bottles and Vicks Vaporub at Rs 400 per month for six months and four bottles.

"I went to the (then) secretary (of Badminton Association of India) who drove me away by saying 'don't do this. Otherwise you will be considered to have turned into a professional and your career (in badminton) would be over'," said Natekar who had clinched six national singles (spread from 1953 to 1965), six doubles and five mixed doubles titles.
Natekar, winner of 12 singles matches out of 16 he played in men's Thomas Cup championships, recalled how he was able to once break the vow of silence of Acharya Vinoba Bhave.
"He was in maun vrat, but on seeing me he said 'jai badminton'," said Natekar, who boasts of victories over former All-England champion Eddy Choong at the CCI before the Malaysian great vowed to get back at the Indian ace and got his revenge a week later at the Bombay Gymkhana.

Natekar, who had recently undergone a medical procedure that prevents him from being on his feet for long, was also described as "a fantastic player" by his former mixed doubles rival Shobha Moorthy Mehta, who was present at the function.