Tennis legend Leander Paes met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi a day after joining the BJP, pledging to work towards youth development and the growth of sports ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Olympic tennis star Leander Paes has officially joined the BJP, marking his first major political move since his TMC debut in 2021. The tennis legend vows to focus on youth, sports education, and women empowerment.
Shankar Mahadevan, Shabana Azmi, and Leander Paes were awarded honorary doctorates by Techno India University in Kolkata, recognizing their contributions to music, film, and sports.
The entrance of the high-profile sportsman comes as the Trinamool Congress prepares to run in the state Assembly elections in 2022.
"Whenever we were low on energy, we chest bumped. Whenever we were wanting to turn a match around, we chest bumped."
The sporting calendar has come to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Paes advised people to turn off the taps after washing their hands to ensure the water doesn't get wasted.
There were athletes who began their career at the same time as Paes but had hung their boots while Paes who has had a distinguished career spanning 30 years and decorated with many awards, is playing in his last year.
Eight-time Grand Slam doubles champion Leander Paes, who partnered with Matthew Ebden at the Maharashtra Open, lost in the men's doubles quarter-finals.
Earlier, Leander Paes and his partner Jelena Ostapenko were crashed out of the mixed doubles events of the Australian Open.
