On August 18, Tollygunge Club hosted a special event to honour Leander Paes, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in July. Brigadier Ganapathy, the CEO of Tollygunge Club, welcomed everyone and underlined the importance of the event. Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam winner, spoke about his remarkable tennis career and the need to support young athletes. He also discussed his future plans to promote sports and inspire the next generation.
An engaging interview with golf guru Indrajit Bhalotia followed, where Paes shared stories from his career and answered questions from the audience. The discussion underscored Paes’s achievements and his views on sports and philanthropy. Paes shared candid stories from his time on the tour, which brought him fame both in India and worldwide. The discussion became even more engaging during the Q&A session, where Paes offered personal reflections and insights about his career, motivations and experiences as a successful athlete and philanthropist.
(From left) Indrajit Bhalotia, Leander Paes and Hiteshwar Singh Protouch Sports
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of a special award to Paes by Sujoy Banerjee, president of Tollygunge Club. Paes was recognised for his outstanding contributions to tennis, which includes 18 Grand Slam titles and an Olympic bronze medal.
Paes’s parents, especially his father, Vece Paes, were also recognised for their contribution to Indian sports. Paes, along with Vijay Amritraj, became the first Asian players to be inducted into tennis’ Hall of Fame. In his acceptance speech, Paes expressed gratitude and spoke about the responsibility of inspiring future generations. He emphasised the importance of consistency and personal growth in achieving success.
