Lakshya Sen reveals coach Prakash Padukone took away his phone during Paris Olympics

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen has disclosed a unique facet of his training regimen during the Paris Olympics, revealing that his coach, Prakash Padukone, confiscated his phone for the duration of the Games. This anecdote emerged during a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met and felicitated India’s Olympic athletes on Independence Day.

Sen, who garnered widespread acclaim for his performance at the Paris Olympics, shared that Padukone's stringent rules were aimed at keeping him focused. "Prakash Sir had taken away my phone during the matches and said I would only get it back after them. Although it was challenging, it was a good learning experience," Sen told PM Modi. Despite his commendable efforts, Sen fell short of securing a medal.

Padukone, the head coach of the Indian badminton team, is known for his disciplined approach. His frustrations with the lack of medals were evident, underscoring the importance of responsibility and focus among athletes. Sen’s campaign, while celebrated for its determination and skill, did not yield the anticipated medal, despite high expectations from Indian badminton, including from other contenders like Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and PV Sindhu.