Leander Paes, one of India’s greatest sporting icons, is back where it all began, Kolkata’s tennis circuit.
On Saturday, the 18-time Grand Slam champion formally took charge as president of the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA), taking over from Hironmoy Chatterjee after the body’s annual general meeting.
His rise to the top of Bengal tennis administration puts him alongside another Kolkata legend, Sourav Ganguly, who returned as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal last month.
Paes’s election as BTA chief was unanimous. Having earlier served as the Association’s honorary vice-president, he knows the ground realities well and comes in with both credibility and history on his side.
As he took charge, Paes made his intent clear. He promised to take Bengal tennis to “greater heights.”