Badminton star Lakshya Sen recently endured a crushing defeat at the Paris Olympics 2024 , just missing out on the bronze medal in an intensely competitive tournament. Although the outcome was disappointing, Lakshya carved his name in history as the first Indian male shuttler to advance to the Olympic semifinals, an extraordinary milestone achieved under the mentorship of badminton legend Prakash Padukone . In a recent interview, Lakshya Sen disclosed that during this challenging period, it was none other than Prakash’s daughter, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone , who extended her support and offered words of comfort.
In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Lakshya opened up about the emotional aftermath of his Olympic journey. He shared that shortly after his defeat, Deepika Padukone called him to lift his spirits. Reflecting on the conversation, he recalled her encouraging words, saying, "She called me and said, 'It's fine; don't worry.
You did good.'" Deepika's gesture meant a lot to Sen, who admitted that the loss still weighs heavily on him, as he had hoped to bring home a medal for India. However, the young athlete expressed deep gratitude for the Padukone family's support, particularly highlighting Prakash Padukone's role in his life as both a mentor and a father figure.
Sen emphasized how valuable it is to have someone like Prakash Padukone to turn to for advice and encouragement. Alongside Deepika's encouraging message, Sen also recounted a recent encounter with Prim.