Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the country in raising in praise for Indian badminton star, Lakshya Sen, who won his first BWF title of the year, at the Canada Open.
Lakshya Sen defeated reigning All England winner Li Shi Feng of China to win the Canada Open Super 500 Badminton title. Lakshya won the final 21-18, 22-20.
"Congratulations to the talented @lakshya_sen on his outstanding victory at the Canada Open 2023! His triumph is a testament to his tenacity and determination. It also fills our nation with immense pride. My best wishes to him for his upcoming endeavours," PM Modi wrote in a tweet on Monday.
Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur hailed Lakshya Sen for his phenomenal performance.
"Congratulations to @lakshya_sen on a phenomenal performance at the #CanadaOpen2023. Coming back from 4 points down in the second game to win in straight games is simply SENsational! Splendid display of resilience and skill by our Champ An incredible week for #TOPScheme shuttler, defeating top seeds along the way to clinch his 1st BWF Tour title of the season. Keep up the momentum!" Thakur said on Twitter.
Thakur's ministerial colleagues, Home Minister Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and Kirej Rijiju too tweeted praising the Uttarakhand-born Lakshya for his brilliant performance.
"Heartiest congratulations to @lakshya_sen on clinching the #CanadaOpen title with a memorably stellar performance. The top scheme athlete has proven the true grit and talent of Indian athletes once again. May you always attain new heights making India proud," Amit Shah wrote in a tweet.
"Congratulations to @lakshya_sen on his outstanding victory at the #CanadaOpenSuper500, where he triumphed over Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Kenta Nishimoto, and Li Shi Feng, who held rankings of 2nd, 4th, and 5th respectively in the tournament. His spirited performance at such a young age on the global stage has filled us with immense pride. Wishing him even greater success in the future" wrote Nitin Gadkari.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra praised Lakshya for his 'never say die' attitude.
"Two things Indian sportspersons weren’t renowned for: —Incredible athleticism, speed & agility, — A ‘never say die,’ comeback, fighting spirit. Thank you @lakshya_sen & many other sportspersons of a new India. The future is going to be different," he said.
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha also noted the incredible fightback by Lakshya in the final.
"Incredible fight back from @lakshya_sen to win the Canada Open. He was down 16-20 in the 2nd game against reigning All England Champion Li Shi Feng of China, made it 20-20 and then won these final 2 points. Simply superb!!!" he said.
On his part, Lakshya Sen thanked his sponsors and supporters for backing him.
"Sometimes, the hardest battles lead to the sweetest victories. The wait is over, and I am delighted to be crowned the Canada Open winner! Grateful beyond words. #SenMode #BWFWorldTour #CanadaOpen2023," he wrote in a tweet on Monday.
Former India captain MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni has been inducted into the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame, marking another glorious chapter in his storied cricket career.
Police complaint lodged against Virat Kohli over Bengaluru stampede tragedy
A police complaint has been lodged against cricketer Virat Kohli on Friday in Bengaluru in connection with the stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium during a felicitation programme for RCB, which claimed 11 lives.
New FBM rule introduced as over 500 kabaddi players set to go under the hammer in PKL 12 auction
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 player auction, set to take place on May 31 and June 1 with top Indian and international kabaddi stars going under the hammer, sees exciting changes, including an updated Final Bid Match (FBM) rule and features a star-studded player pool with over 500 athletes available for bidding.
Hockey India names 24-member men's team for FIH Hockey Pro League European leg
Hockey India on Thursday announced the 24-member Indian men’s team for the European leg of FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25, which is scheduled to take place in Amstelveen, the Netherlands and Antwerp, Belgium from June 7 to 22.
IPL 2025 suspended for one week, new schedule and venues to be announced in due course: BCCI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the IPL 2025 has been suspended with immediate effect, albeit for one week in the wake of the India-Pakistan border tensions.
IPL 2025 suspended indefinitely, BCCI cites national interest: Sources
Amid the escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan, the BCCI has decided to suspend the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season indefinitely in an emergency meeting on Friday, sources told IANS.
IPL 2025: Match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals called off in Dharamshala
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals has been called off at the HPCA Stadium on Thursday as a precautionary measure, said IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal
Sudirman Cup Finals: Dhruv-Tanisha impress, Sindhu loses as India lose to Indonesia
The rising mixed doubles combination of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto showcased their prowess with a come-from-behind win to give the team a strong start, but India could not avoid a 1-4 loss against Indonesia in their second Group D match in the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 here on Tuesday.