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Swapping diving volleys for a political pitch, Indian tennis great Leander Paes on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, signalling the start of a new chapter after a career that defined Indian tennis across generations.
The 52-year-old Paes has joined the ruling party ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal where Trinamool Congress is in power. He joined the party in the presence of senior party leaders, including Union minister Kiren Rijiju.
The tennis star had recently met BJP chief Nitin Nabin in Kolkata, setting off speculation about him joining the party.
Interestingly, Paes had joined Mamata Banerjee’s party in 2021 and campaigned for it during the Goa elections in 2022. For over three decades, Paes was the face of Indian tennis. He was one of few tennis players from the country who thrived on big occasions and hostile crowds.
His induction into the BJP now places him among a growing list of high-profile athletes seeking to translate sporting success into public service.
Paes first captured the nation’s imagination with a bronze medal in the men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a landmark achievement that ended India’s long wait for an individual Olympic podium finish. It remains one of the defining moments of his career.
