Patna: The 15th Dhyanchand Memorial Ball Badminton Tournament kicked off on Saturday at the Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan courts, with Kilkari “A” defeating Kilkari “B” in the inaugural girls’ match. The scores were 35-29 and 35-32, with Kilkari “A” starting their campaign on a high note. Harshita, Divya, and Khushi from Kilkari “A”, along with Ankita, Naina, and Khushi from Kilkari “B”, delivered standout performances in this competitive opening match.
The five-day tournament, held as part of the Sports Day programme, was officially inaugurated by Prof. Nawal Kishore Yadav, President of the Ball Badminton Federation of India and Member of the Bihar Legislative Council, alongside Sanjay Kumar, District Education Officer of Patna. The ceremony featured a balloon release, followed by introductions to the players.
In his remarks, Prof. Nawal Kishore Yadav discussed ongoing efforts to popularise ball badminton in both urban and rural areas across the state. He emphasised the importance of enhancing facilities for student athletes in schools and colleges, which serve as crucial training grounds.
Sanjay Kumar, the District Education Officer, expressed pride in the growing recognition of athletes and assured that Patna’s school playgrounds would be further developed. He also committed to providing sports equipment and all necessary facilities for ball badminton players.
The event was attended by several prominent figures, including Dr. Manish Mandal, Medical Superintendent of IGIMS Patna; Prof. Om Prakash Rai, Principal of L.S. College Muzaffarpur; Pawan Kumar Kejriwal, Director of the Bihar Ball Badminton Association; Jyoti Parihar, Director of Kilkari; and Dr. Faiz Ahmed, Principal of Uchcha Vidyalaya Rupas, who all addressed the audience.
The guests were welcomed by Gouri Shankar, Secretary of the Bihar Ball Badminton Association, and Joint Secretary Mitali Mitra. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Arun Dayal, Secretary of the Patna District Ball Badminton Association, and was hosted by Vansha Singh.
