Before his biggest match in his playing career so far on Sunday, the semi-final in the Olympics against the World's second-ranked Victor Axelsen, Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen's secret strength is the meal cooked by his mother Nirmala. 

Sen’s entire family is camped at an apartment close to the Port de la Chapelle Arena, with ‘home-cooked meals’ and smoothies dispatched to him every day. 

Nirmala has traveled with him for around a month along with his father Dhirendra Kumar and brother Chirag and she prepares a staple lunch consisting of a mildly spiced chicken noodle soup, in coordination with the player’s nutritionist.

Nirmala's presence — at Marseilles for a fortnight before the Olympics or in Paris this last week — has ensured that Lakshya gets the same customized meals he ate back home in Bengaluru.

A training day in Bengaluru typically sees him eat 6-7 moderate meals. “I work together with my nutritionist and my mother. Lunch is noodle soup, chicken, and vegetables cooked in stock. Sometimes, it was chicken steak and sometimes pasta with chicken," Lakshya Sen revealed in an interaction with Indian Express before leaving for Paris. 

The diet is tweaked only for supplements, with his physiotherapist checking in every hour on his hydration. Lakshya Sen’s coach, Vimal Kumar, said upon reaching France ahead of the Olympics: “We have ensured that his mother is close by so that he feels comfortable.”

Nirmala has ensured that his pre- and post-match meals have been on the dot, knowing that Lakshya Sen tends to stay skinny and get injured because his intake doesn’t match the energy expended.

He had grown fond of Nando’s grilled chicken and potatoes for the dinner load-up at Birmingham when he won the Commonwealth Games. 

In Paris, though, he has stuck to Nirmala’s cooking the whole time. Asked if there was a meal reserved for only after a possible medal, he would wave away any hint of a sacrifice, Lakshya asserted that he does not have a craving for ice cream or chocolate.