At a lavish ceremony at the Science City Auditorium in Kolkata, tennis legend Shri Leander Paes received the coveted 32nd P.C. Chandra Puraskaar. Established by the P.C. Chandra Group, the award honours the legacy of its visionary founder, Shri Purna Chandra Chandra, and recognises outstanding accomplishments in a variety of fields.

One of the most prestigious awards, the Puraskaar, comes with a tax-free honorarium of Rs 20 lakhs and is given out every year on the anniversary of the founder’s birth. Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi Ji, Veteran Singer Smt Asha Bhosle, Dr Devi Shetty, Shri Kapil Dev, Ustad Umzad Ali Khan, Smt Mary Kom, and Shri. Somanath S are just a few of the national icons it has honoured since its founding in 1993.

With 18 Grand Slam victories and an Olympic bronze under his belt, this year’s recipient, Shri Leander Paes, is a global representative of Indian tennis. His unwavering quest for greatness perfectly captures the essence of the honour.

The event was also graced by eminent guests like Swami Suvirananda of Ramakrishna Mission, Shri Arun Kumar Chandra, Managing Director of P.C. Chandra Group, Mr. Uday Kumar Chandra, Managing Director of P.C. Chandra Jewellers, and Mr. Abhijit Laha, Director of Chandra’s Green Projects Ltd.

Speaking at the event, Leander Paes said, “I feel blessed to play sports like tennis that give equal prize money, and equal opportunities to men and women. That is the way the world should move. With steps like this, the world can become a better place to live”.

The tennis legend also said that we are all stressed and under pressure in different ways. But how we conduct ourselves and lead our lives is what matters the most. This is what must be remembered always by all of us.

Congratulations Leander!!

Priyanka Dutta