Deepika opens 75 badminton centers nationwide

Actress Deepika Padukone marked her father Prakash Padukone’s 70th birthday in a special way by launching 75 badminton coaching centers across India. These centers will run under the Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), which aims to promote fitness, discipline, and a love for sports among the youth.

The centers will be set up in 18 cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Pune, Mysuru, Jaipur, Dehradun, and Coimbatore. The school will be mentored by her father, Prakash Padukone, a former world No. 1 badminton player and All England Champion. Deepika, who grew up playing the sport, said the game taught her important life lessons and she now hopes to share that with others.

On social media, Deepika posted a heartfelt message with a picture of her father, saying, “Badminton shaped me physically, mentally, and emotionally.” She hopes PSB will bring the same joy to others.

Professionally, Deepika is set to make her debut in South Indian cinema. She will star in director Atlee’s new film alongside Telugu superstar Allu Arjun. Titled AA22 x A6, this will be the first project featuring all three together. The announcement video, shared by Sun Pictures on June 7, received massive attention online. The studio even welcomed her as “The Queen.”

Deepika was last seen in Kalki 2898 AD with Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan, and earlier in Fighter with Hrithik Roshan.