49th Junior National Badminton Championship begins in Gangtok today

BIJOY GURUNG

GANGTOK,: Around 500 of India's top Under-19 badminton talents from across the country are arriving in Gangtok for the 49th Junior National Badminton Championship, which begins at Paljor Stadium on November 14 and concludes on November 21.

These future stars of Indian badminton will be accompanied by their coaches and parents, as well as delegates from State associations and the Badminton Association of India (BAI), giving a boost to Sikkim's tourism in the long run.

Five courts have been set up in the indoor halls of Paljor Stadium for the championship, with the hosts, Badminton Association of Sikkim (BAS), leaving no stone unturned to ensure the successful organisation of this prestigious national event.

“We are ready to host the championship. All arrangements have been made, including the technical requirements sought by the BAI. The observers and technical teams, along with the chief referee from BAI, have inspected all the facilities,” said BAS president Jacob Khaling.

As per BAI rules, eight courts in a complex are required to host a national badminton championship, which needs to be completed within five days. The national body has given a special relaxation to Sikkim to conduct the championship on five courts in an extended format of eight days.

The first two days of the event in Sikkim will feature the zonal team championship, with teams from five zones of India and the host State of Sikkim taking part. Each zone has 20 players, while the Sikkim team has a 16-member squad.

The individual category of the 49th Junior National Badminton Championship will commence on November 15 and conclude on November 21. Top-ranked junior players from 28 States and five Union Territories will compete in this category.

BAS has made accommodation arrangements for players, officials and delegates at various hotels in Gangtok.

“There are challenges in hosting such a large-scale event, but we have managed accommodation and all the required facilities for the players and delegates, as we started our preparations four months ago,” said the BAS president.

Khaling expressed confidence that the 49th Junior National Badminton Championship would boost Sikkim's tourism, given the arrival of some of India's most promising badminton players, who could go on to represent the country at the Olympics and World Championships in the future.

He informed that the BAI has sanctioned Rs. 70 lakh to BAS for organising the championship. Of the total amount, Rs. 40 lakh will go to the players as cash prizes, while the remaining amount will be utilised for organising the event, he said.

The championship is crucial for Under-19 players as it offers them an opportunity to improve their national rankings and pave the way towards representing India in international tournaments and World Championships.

The Sikkim government has declared the championship a State Event and is extending all logistical support to BAS.