1st Sikkim State Inter-School Badminton Championship concludes

KUNAL RAI

Namchi Public School & Malbasey’s Don Bosco School wins team championship titles

GANGTOK,: Chief Minister PS Golay attended the final of the 1st Sikkim State Inter-School Badminton Championship 2025 held at the indoor hall of Paljor Stadium. The two-day championship, organised by the Badminton Association of Sikkim (BAS), concluded on Tuesday.

The event was also graced by cabinet ministers, MLAs, advisors, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Gangtok, chairpersons, OSDs, and representatives from various sports associations.

During the closing ceremony, the Chief Minister congratulated all participating schools and student-athletes, emphasizing that participation is more important than winning. He acknowledged the active role of sports associations in the state, highlighting their efforts in organising various sporting events across disciplines to engage and develop young talent. He noted that sports not only foster healthy competition but also play a crucial role in the physical and mental well-being of athletes.

The Chief Minister recognised the limitations faced by a small State like Sikkim, particularly in terms of sponsorships. However, he appreciated the efforts of sporting bodies who, with limited government support, have consistently organised events that provide athletes with platforms to perform at State, national, and even international levels.

Golay reaffirmed the State government's commitment to promoting sports and assured continued assistance to athletes. The government, he said, is planning to utilise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for the development of sports and related infrastructure in Sikkim. He also shared the government’s vision of developing a comprehensive Sports Village - a facility that will house multiple sporting disciplines under one roof, with proper infrastructure, accommodation for coaches, hostels for athletes, physiotherapy services, and other essential facilities. A budget of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for land acquisition for this purpose, with further funding to be sourced through Special Central Assistance for construction of the Sports Village.

The Chief Minister expressed hope of transforming Sikkim into a hub for sports and tourism. He also acknowledged the proposal submitted by the Badminton Association of Sikkim regarding the renovation of the indoor badminton hall at Paljor Stadium to meet national standards. He urged the association to begin the renovation work promptly and assured financial support in the upcoming supplementary budget session.

Encouraging the young participants, the Chief Minister appealed to them to consider sports not merely as a recreational activity but as a viable career path. He stressed that with discipline, hard work, and determination, great achievements are possible.

BAS president Jacob Khaling extended his gratitude to the Chief Minister for supporting the idea of an inter-school badminton championship aimed at identifying grassroots talent. He informed that the BAS regularly organises events across age categories like sub-junior, junior, and senior and plans to expand its calendar with initiatives like the Sikkim Badminton Premier League, State Open Championship, and the First CM Gold Cup. The association has also secured opportunities to host ranking-level events under the Badminton Association of India.

According to the BAS, the inaugural edition of the Inter-School Badminton Championship witnessed participation from 93 schools, with 849 student-athletes.

Namchi Public School secured the team championship title in the Under-17 boys category, while the Under-17 girls team championship was won by Don Bosco, Malbasay from Soreng district.

In the Under-19 category, the girls’ doubles title was claimed by Biswanjali Subba and Sikcha of St. Joseph School, Martam. The boys’ doubles title went to Hingmon Limbu and Prabal Pradhan from Namchi Public School.

Biswanjali Subba also won the girls’ singles title, while Hingmon Limbu clinched the boys’ singles championship, both representing their respective schools.

The final round included 152 players from 39 schools across all six districts of Sikkim. All the 152 players of the final were awarded Rs. 10,000, facilitated by the Chief Minister.

The boys’ and girls’ team champions and runners-up were awarded trophies, certificates, and cash prizes. Similarly, winners in the Under-19 category - across both singles and doubles events for boys and girls - were also felicitated with trophies, certificates, and cash prizes.