Deepika fortunate to be Prakash Padukone's daughter: Gavaskar

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS):

Hailing former All England champion Prakash Padukone as “the greatest sportsman India has produced”, cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar Saturday said actor Deepika Padukone is lucky to be the badminton player’s daughter.

“Deepika is the daughter of who, in my view, is the greatest sportsman India has produced. She is fortunate to have the same genes,” Gavaskar said at the Eden Gardens, which hosted the second Indian Premier League (IPL) qualifier between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

Prakash Padukone was a national badminton champion and won the coveted All-England Championship in 1980 and became the first Indian to do so.

He was honoured with the Arjuna award in 1972 and Padmashree a decade later.

The batting genius felt it would be an honour to be in Deepika’s presence, by virtue of her legacy.

“If I can’t be anywhere near Prakash, at least if I can be with Deepika. Then I will say, ‘there you are, Prakash’s daughter’,”added Gavaskar.