Patna: The 31st Shaheed Captain Ashutosh Memorial Bihar State Senior Ball Badminton Championship (Men and Women) commenced on Sunday at Kameshwar Madhya Vidyalaya, Parmanandpur, Madhepura. The event, organised by the Madhepura District Ball Badminton Association under the aegis of the Bihar Ball Badminton Association, witnessed an enthusiastic start.
In the opening match of the men’s category, hosts Naugachia began their victory campaign with a hard-fought win over Begusarai, securing the match 35-31, 35-33. Naugachia’s Ankit, Mukul, and Mohd. Saif impressed with their skills, while Rajan and Chhotu from Begusarai displayed commendable performances.
The championship was formally inaugurated by Prof. Nawal Kishore Yadav, President of the Ball Badminton Federation of India and MLC, who cut the ribbon and interacted with the players. Addressing the gathering, Prof. Yadav highlighted the achievements of the Bihar Ball Badminton Association, praising its commitment to hosting events as per its annual sports calendar. He noted that the association provides essential facilities to players, enabling them to excel at national and international levels. He also emphasised the integral relationship between education and sports, stating, “A healthy mind resides in a healthy body.” He congratulated the organisers for conducting the championship in a remote rural area, bringing the sport closer to grassroots players.
Special guests at the event included BJP leader Dr. Vijay Kumar Vimal, Dr. Abul Fazal (Sports Director of B.N. Mandal University), Gauri Shankar (Secretary of Bihar Ball Badminton Association), Prof. Arun Dayal (Assistant Professor at Jamuni Lal College, Hajipur), and Rajiv Ranjan (Branch Manager, Punjab National Bank). The programme was presided over by Merchant Navy Officer Narendra Chandra Naveen.
Senior national player Deepak Prakash Ranjan, Panchayat Samiti member Suman Kumar, and Kameshwar Middle School Principal Omprakash Jha were among those who extended a warm welcome to the guests. The vote of thanks was delivered by Subhash Chandra, Principal of Baleshwar Jha High School. The event proceedings were ably conducted by Dr. Jainendra Kumar, Joint Secretary of the B.N. Mandal University Sports Board.
Several sports enthusiasts and officials, including Rakesh Ranjan, Rambabu Singh, Ravi Ranjan Kumar, Amar Ahuja, Santosh Kumar Sharma, Vikas Kumar, and Satish Kumar, were present to witness the championship’s opening day.
