Father's Day: The legacy of father-child bondings in Indian sports

In the world of sports, few bonds are as sacred and impactful as the one between a father and a child.

From sharing a passion for sports to supporting each other in the highs and the lows, the journey of a father-son and father-daughter duo often unfolds as a narrative of dedication, resilience, and mutual inspiration.

Such is the story of many Indian athletes who tasted success between generations and had a mark in history.

On this Father's Day, The Bridge take a look at famous father and children duos who shone in sports for India.

Hockey

Major Dhyan Chand (Father) and Ashok Kumar (Son)

Dhyan Chand's heroics will remain etched forever which helped India win three consecutive gold medals at the 1928,1932 and 1936 Olympics. His son Ashok Kumar won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics and scored the winning goal in the 1975 World Cup final against Pakistan, India's only world title to date.

Tennis

Vece Paes (Father, Hockey ) and Leander Paes (Son)

The Paes pairing won Olympic medals for India. Vece Paes won a bronze medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics representing the Indian men's hockey team. And his son Leander Paes, on the other hand, ended India's long wait for an individual medal at the Olympics after he won bronze at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Before Leander, wrestler KD Jadhav won a bronze medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Besides the Olympic medal, Leander also won 18 Grand Slam titles.

Ramanathan Krishnan (Father) and Ramesh Krishnan (Son)

Ramanathan Krishnan, a trailblazer in Indian tennis during the 1950s and 1960s, reached the Wimbledon singles semifinals twice and was known for his elegant playing style. His son, Ramesh Krishnan, followed in his footsteps, becoming a top-ranked tennis player in the 1980s, reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals and the French Open semifinals, showcasing a similarly graceful approach to the game.

Athletics-Golf

Milkha Singh (Father, Athletics) and Jeev Milkha Singh (Son, Golf)

Milkha Singh, a renowned figure in Indian athletics, achieved India's first track and field gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1958 and narrowly missed a podium finish in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

His son, Jeev Milkha Singh, carved his path in sports history as the first Indian golfer to compete on the European Tour, amassing an impressive record of 20 Tour victories.

Athletics

S Murali (Father) and Murali Sreeshankar (Son)

Murali Sreeshankar has drawn inspiration and received training from his father, S Murali, who previously competed in the triple jump for India at several international events. Sreeshankar has since surpassed his father's achievements, earning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in the long jump.

Shooting

Randhir Singh (Father), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Son) and Manavaditya Rathore (grandchild)

Randhir Singh was a national-level shooter while his son Rajyavardhan took his legacy forward and won India its first-ever shooting medal in the Olympics in 2004. The shooter-turned-politician's son, Manavaditya, has also been rising through the ranks. He has already represented India.

Badminton-Tennis

Nandu Natekar (Father, Badminton) and Gaurav Natekar (Son, Tennis)

Nandu Natekar, an early stalwart of Indian badminton, won the national championship seven times and represented India internationally, including at the 1966 Commonwealth Games.

He was the first Indian to win an international title at the Selangor International tournament in 1956 and received the inaugural Arjuna Award in 1961. His son, tennis player Gaurav Natekar, also received the Arjuna Award in 1996, winning two Asian Games gold medals and reaching the Davis Cup semifinals in 1993.

Wrestling

Mahavir Singh Phogat (Father) and Phogat Sisters (Daughters)

Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestler himself, gained prominence as the coach and mentor of his daughters: Geeta, Babita, Ritu, and Sangita Phogat. His dedication and unconventional methods in training his daughters in wrestling garnered widespread attention, inspiring the film "Dangal."

Under his guidance, the Phogat sisters have achieved remarkable success in wrestling, winning medals at national and international competitions, thereby reshaping the landscape of women's wrestling in India.

Vinesh Phogat is the cousin of the Phogat sisters. She will be competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Badminton

Pullela Gopichand ( Father) and Gayatri Gopichand (Daughter)

The All England Badminton Champion and India’s national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has been a force to reckon with in the Indian badminton scene. Following in his footsteps his daughter Gayatri Gopichand has been doing great in recent times. They won the Commonwealth Games medal and most notably helped India win the Badminton Asia Championships team title.

Volleyball-Badminton

PV Ramana (Father, Volleyball) and PV Sindhu(Daughter, Badminton)

PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion, hails from a family rooted in sports. Her father, PV Ramana, was a professional volleyball player who was part of the bronze-medal-winning Indian team at the 1986 Asian Games.