New Delhi [India], April 2 (ANI): Olympic medalist and former ace tennis star Leander Paes on Thursday expressed his ambition to serve the nation and empower the youth after he formally entered the political arena, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.

In a self-made video shared on X, Paes reflected on his journey from the streets of Kolkata to the international tennis stage, saying, 'In the early part of my life, I studied at La Martiniere Kolkata. I learned my tennis at South Club and my baba played field hockey for Mohun Bagan in the Maidan of Kolkata. That's where I found my passion to play for our people, the spirit for the Tiranga.'

Paes recounted his move to Madras (now Chennai) in 1986 to further his studies at Madras Christian College, while honing his tennis skills.

'On the 12th of May, 1986, I moved to Madras, furthering my studies at the Madras Christian College and honing my skills as a tennis player. I grew up playing gully cricket and gully football in the streets of India and from there I worked my way into the Royal Box of Wimbledon and into the International Tennis Hall of Fame,' he added.

Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister, Paes said, 'It is my good fortune that I am getting the opportunity to work under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi ji today. I am grateful to him for this. I believe the time is right for people like myself to take position to serve our people, to empower the youth, to create opportunities for them. I feel it is time to take Bharat and India and make it a superpower. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.'

https://x.com/leander/status/2039531739316642088

The tennis legend Leander Paes, who still holds the crown as India's most successful tennis player and has enjoyed unprecedented success on the court, previously made his political debut by joining the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Goa in 2021.

His move into joining BJP comes ahead of the upcoming electoral season, marking a new chapter in his career.

Meanwhile, Paes met Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after joining the party, who welcomed him warmly, writing on X, 'Had a great meeting with Leander Paes. India is very proud of his accomplishments in tennis. We discussed a wide range of issues. His passion towards sports and nation-building is truly admirable.'

Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sukanta Majumdar were present during Paes' induction into the BJP.

After joining the BJP, the tennis ace expressed his gratitude for the new platform, saying, 'Today is a big day in my life. I want to thank the PM, HM, and Nitin Nabin ji. I am really grateful for the way the BJP has given me this opportunity to serve sports, sports education, and the youth.'

Crediting the leadership for the nation's sporting progress, Leander Paes Kehlo further said, 'I played for the country for 40 years, now it's time to serve the youth. Kehlo India Movement and the TOPS scheme are really great. I know how much passion Kiren Rijijiu ji has worked towards our contingent's performance in the Tokyo Olympics. He fulfilled his responsibility given to him by the PM. Today, India is the youngest nation in the world. We should focus on sports education in the next 20-25 years. In 1986, in West Bengal, there was not much sports infrastructure. Even today, there is no indoor tennis court in the country. Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar can do better, but we need to focus on inspiring and empowering youth in sports education...My dream is to bring a program for equal opportunity scholarship for women empowerment in India.

Paes, India's most decorated tennis player, has received numerous accolades, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1996-97, the Arjuna Award in 1990, the Padma Shri in 2001, and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. (ANI)