Guiding Light: Indian athletes whose parents were sportspersons

Hardwork, patience, discipline, mental strength besides talent are some of the key aspects which build up the forte of an athlete.

However, it is not always the case that budding athletes get the emotional support from their parents in India. But the situation is more conducive for some athletes who have had parents who are aware of this, having played professional sport or at a high level.

Premier Indian shuttler PV Sindhu is one among such athletes who had a parent with a sporting background.

Let us further have a look at six accomplished Indian athletes whose parents were into sporting talents in their own right:

PV Sindhu and PV Ramana

India's top-ranked women shuttler PV Sindhu was born to PV Ramana and P Vijaya who were volleyball players. While her mother was a national level volleyball player who has represented Railways, her father, Ramana, was a member of the India men's volleyball team for a long time. He was part of the 1986 Asian Games bronze medal winning squad and was also conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award for his contribution to the sport.

In fact, her mother and father met during a volleyball match.

Sindhu, now, is carrying forward the baton from her parents as she has made a name for herself in a different sport. The Rio 2016 Olympics silver medallist has clinched five medals at the World Championships including a gold, two at Asian Games and three at the Commonwealth Games.

Saina Nehwal and Usha Rani Nehwal

Usha Rani Nehwal was a state-level badminton player who represented Haryana. She always wanted to become a national champion. Though she could not achieve it, she lived that dream through her daughter Saina who bagged her maiden national title in 2007 when she beat Aditi Mutatkar in straight sets.

Her mother has been a constant support for her and she has acknowledged that on several occasions.

"More than my dad, she is my main force and keeps me going with her constant motivational talks and encouragement. You need someone who you can confide in. For me, it’s my mother. I tell her everything, starting from what is making me happy or bothering me. I’ve all my emotional talks with her, I am closest to her,” stated the Olympic medal winner to Hindustan Times.

Saina's father was also a university-level badminton player and her elder sister Abu Chandranshu Nehwal is a volleyball player.

Jeev Milkha Singh and Milkha Singh

Jeev Milkha Singh, the first golfer to represent India in the European tour in 1998, is the son of track and field legend Milkha Singh.

Milkha Singh is perhaps the finest athlete India has ever produced and was among the world's best during his heydays. Dubbed 'The Flying Sikh' for his speed and agility, the sprinter bagged four gold medals at the Asian Games. He represented India at the Olympics in 1956, 1960 and 1964. He narrowly missed out on a medal at Rome 1960, finishing fourth in the 400m event after leading the race in the initial stages.

His son Jeev, who turned professional in 1993, also had a remarkable run in his golf career. He won four titles each on the European Tour and Japanese Tour besides bagging five titles on the Asian Tour. Jeev was awarded the Arjuna award in 1999 and the Padma Shri in 2007 (India's fourth-highest civilian award).

Ashok Kumar and Dhyan Chand

Former India hockey player Ashok Kumar, a member of the 1975 World Cup winning squad, is the son of the legendary Dhyan Chand.

Dhyan Chand, dubbed as The Wizard or The Magician, was perhaps the greatest hockey player of his generation. So much so that his terrific performances at Berlin 1936. Dhyan Chand was sensational in the tournament and helped India beat Germany 8-1 in the final to clinch gold.

He guided the Indian hockey team to three gold medal-winning finishes at the Olympics (1928, 1932, 1936) beside scoring 570 goals in 185 matches.

His son, Ashok, also possessed some of his father's skills and was a part of the Indian hockey team which clinched a bronze at the 1972 Olympics. Ashok, who was selected for the World XI twice during his career, was awarded the Arjuna in 1974.

Leander Paes and Vece Paes

Indian tennis legend Leander Paes also comes from a sporting family.

His father, Dr. Vece Paes, was a member of the Indian hockey team. He operated as a midfielder and was a part of the bronze medal winning team in the Munich 1972 Olympics. Besides that, Vece, is also a doctor in sports medicine and is a consultant with several national sports federations.

Leander achieved several heights in his glittering career as he clinched 18 Grand Slam titles (doubles and mixed events) besides clinching an Olympic bronze medal at Atlanta 1996. He also represented the country in seven consecutive Olympics from 1992 to 2016. He was conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1996-97 for his contribution to the sport.

Ramanathan Krishnan and Ramesh Krishnan

Ramanathan Krishnan was one of the finest tennis players India has seen. In fact, he was right up among the very best in the 1960s.

He won the junior Wimbledon title in 1954, becoming the first Asian to win the same. He reached a career-best ranking of six in singles and made it to the semi-finals of the Wimbledon twice in 1960 and 1961. He also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1962. He was one of the key members of the Indian squad that reached the final of the 1966 Davis Cup final. He has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

His son Ramesh Krishnan was an equally prolific player who not only won the Wimbledon junior title but also the French Open junior title. Like his father, he also reached the Davis Cup final in 1987. He has progressed to the quarterfinals of the US Open twice and Wimbledon once. He reached his career-best ranking of 23 in 1985.

One of Ramesh's most famous moment was in 1989 Australian Open where he defeated then World No.1 Mats Wilander in the second round. Ramesh was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998.