Veteran Badminton Official K. Prabhakar Rao to Receive JOA Lifetime Achievement Award

Jharkhand Olympic Association to honor K. Prabhakar Rao for his dedication to badminton, with Lifetime Achievement Award at Namkum’s R.K. Anand Bowls Green.

JAMSHEDPUR – Veteran badminton official K. Prabhakar Rao, a seasoned sports administrator, has been chosen to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) for his unwavering efforts to organize the sport in the state and the nation. Rao’s recognition will be presented at a celebration on Friday at Namkum’s R.K. Anand Bowls Green, Ranchi. The celebration is part of the Jharkhand State Awards, which honors individuals who have achieved significant results as sports administrators.

JOA Secretary General M.K. Pathak commended Rao in a letter, expressing that his extraordinary career is "nothing short of inspiring." Pathak also stated that Rao’s presence at the event would inspire many others who want to follow in his footsteps.

Rao, who is the secretary of the Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA), thanked the JOA for the honor and pledged to continue promoting badminton across Jharkhand.

Rao’s significant contributions include serving as a national shuttle team official, traveling to international events like the Yonex German Junior International and the Yonex Dutch Junior International. He has acted as an observer at various national meets and worked diligently in organizing badminton events in Jharkhand.

Additionally, the Paralympic Committee of India and the Indian Badminton Association hired Rao as their coach and team manager to prepare India’s shuttle team for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He became the second sports official from the state to join the national delegation in Tokyo, following Madhukant Pathak, who was part of the Indian athletics team for the 2020 Olympics.

Rao’s commitment to his physical fitness is also evident as he practices yoga and shuttle to stay in shape. He described his appointment as a lifelong accomplishment and expressed gratitude to the Badminton Association of India (BAI) and the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).