Shuttler Lakshya Sen said on Monday that bringing accolades to India on the international arena is like “living a dream” and that he “gave it everything” in his inaugural final against Olympic champ Viktor Axelsen at All-England Championship. Sen beat some of the best players to make it to finals.

“It’s been a long journey for me from Almora to the All England Open. I gave it my all on the court in the final yesterday vs Viktor, but it wasn’t meant to be,” Sen wrote in a post shared on his Twitter handle. “For me, getting the chance to represent my country means everything to me. I am living my dream and I will always give my 100 % on the court.” All, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, praised his outstanding performance.

“I am overwhelmed and humbled with all the love and support I have received from so many fans in India and all over the world and just wanted to say a big ‘Thank You’ to everyone,” Sen wrote. “I wish to thank BAI and SAI for their support to me. I can’t forget my parents and brother Chirag who have sacrificed so much for me. “I owe everything to Prakash sir and Vimal sir and PPBA who have mentored me throughout this journey. Without them, this would just not be possible. Thanks to Vivek Kumar sir and the world-class PDCSE where I train.”

Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and Olympic Gold Quest were also appreciated for their help by the world number 11. Sen, a Bengaluru native who attended the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, has been in top form for the past six months. He won his first Super 500 title at the India Open in January and finished runner-up at both the German Open and the All-England Championships earlier this week.