And the Bharat Ratna for achievement in sport goes to Sachin Tendulkar or Dhyan Chand or Viswanathan Anand. Somehow, whenever a debate about the rather controversial subject of awarding a Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour erupts, the name of Leander Paes is audibly absent. It is almost as if his achievements count for nothing in a country where sport has become synonymous with cricket or more aptly with a handful of cricketers.
Although the likes of Ramanathan Krishnan, Premjit Lal, and Amritraj brothers caused quite a stir in the world of tennis, it can be stated with a certain degree of conviction that it was Leander Paes who almost singularly put India on the world map as far as tennis is concerned. Counted amongst the legends of the doubles game, it took Paes a considerable length of time to garner the recognition of his countrymen who were obsessed with cricket.
A player who was more committed to the upliftment of the sport in his country than he was to the glories that he could reap individually, Paes has the distinction of being the only tennis player to have played in six Olympic Games from 1992 to 2012. The 13 doubles Grand Slam titles that he has won apart, what really makes Paes a stalwart is the fact that he gave his heart and soul whenever he donned the Indian jersey and played for his country, be it in the Davis Cup or the Olympic Games.
To say that he was a redoubtable singles player would be an exaggeration. But, Paes did show glimpses of his talent in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 when he won the bronze medal for India. He also acquitted himself brilliantly against the two men with whom men's tennis was synonymous with in the 1990s: Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. What he might have achieved on the singles' tour had he persisted is entirely hypothetical and open to be speculated upon. But, Paes entered the annals of history for his spectacular technique in the doubles game.
Both in men's doubles and mixed doubles, Paes did not take long to establish himself and is today counted amongst the finest players of all time. Even today, after over two decades of playing tennis at the highest levels, Paes still hasn't lost any of the vigour and the enthusiasm that characterised him as a teenager. In this, he is no different to Sachin Tendulkar. But, hardly anyone cites the example of Paes when it comes to longevity in the world of sport.
His two-decade odd association with Indian tennis hasn't been hassle-free and he has seen more than just a handful of controversies and has been at loggerheads with the authorities for the better part of his career.
The most glorious aspect of life lies in its cruel ironies. On the court, Paes forged an extremely productive partnership with Mahesh Bhupathi but their relationship off it was probably the most turbulent one in Indian tennis. The high point in their career came when the pair manged to reach the finals of all four Grand Slams in 1999 and won two. But, today, the two of them find it extremely difficult to look into each other's eyes. Neither Paes nor Bhupathi gained anything from the charade that the two seemed hellbent on playing but Indian tennis certainly lost out on a great deal and some of its sheen.
A true champion that he is, Paes is capable of setting all his differences with Bhupathi and even the sport bodies of India aside if it means playing for India. In a recent interview, Paes expressed his desire to represent India in the 2016 Olympics. Well, all the Indian tennis fan can say is: All the best.