Rally for Lakshay: Pb's lone smash hit fights for his dream

Ludhiana: In the heart of this city, on modest courts far from the glamour of elite academies, 19-year-old Lakshay Sharma is scripting a story that's winning more than medals — it's winning hearts. His silver at the All-India Senior Ranking Tournament isn't just a podium finish but a statement from Punjab — a state that hasn't seen a men's singles badminton player on the national stage in more than four decades.

Trained solely by his father, Mangat Rai Sharma, a NIS-qualified coach, Lakshay has fought his way through India's toughest national circuit, climbing to number 5 in the country and breaching the world's top 200 without sponsorship, institutional backing, or access to foreign training.

In Hyderabad last week, Lakshay battled through 768 players, stunning the tournament's top seeds and falling short by just a point in a nail-biting final. "He was leading 15-8," his father recalls, pride and pain laced in his voice. "He gave it everything." For the Sharmas, badminton has always been a two-person mission — just a father, a son, and a shared dream. Lakshay calls his coach ‘Sir' more than ‘Papa', a reflection of the discipline that has shaped his game and their lives. No less than 14 years of training, sacrifice, and perseverance have brought them here — to a silver medal, and now, a crossroads.

To break into the world's top 100 and aim for Olympic qualification, Lakshay must play a string of international tournaments. But international ranking points come with international costs — airfare, accommodation, entry fees, nutrition — none of which they can afford alone. "Some states have offered to support him, but only if he plays for them instead of Punjab," Mangat says. "We've come this far for Punjab. We want to keep playing for Punjab."

Their stand is firm, but time is not. Without sponsors or state help, the dream risks becoming unaffordable. Yet the potential is real, proven, and close to world-class. "This isn't just about us," Mangat says. "It's about Ludhiana, about Punjab. It's been 40 years since a player from our state played men's singles at this level."

What they ask for isn't charity — it's backing for a homegrown talent already punching far above his weight. With the right support, Lakshay can rise higher — not just for himself, but for every aspiring athlete in Ludhiana training in forgotten corners. Punjab has found a contender. Now it must decide whether to let him fight alone — or fight with him.