New Delhi, April 2 -- Olympic medalist and former ace tennis star Leander Paes on Thursday expressed his ambition to serve the nation and empower the youth after he formally entered the political arena, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.

In a self-made video shared on X, Paes reflected on his journey from the streets of Kolkata to the international tennis stage, saying, "In the early part of my life, I studied at La Martiniere Kolkata. I learned my tennis at South Club and my baba played field hockey for Mohun Bagan in the Maidan of Kolkata. That's where I found my passion to play for our people, the spirit for the Tiranga."

Paes recounted his move to Madras (now Chennai) in 1986 to further his studies at Madras Christ...