CHANDIGARH, NOV 19 : A record number of 920 entries in different age groups have been received in the Sunrise (India) All-India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament being conducted by the Chandigarh Badminton Association under the patronage of the Badminton Association of India at the Sector 42 Badminton Hall here . More than 400 entries are from the northern states of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and hosts Chandigarh.
Addressing a press conference today, CBA president MC Sethi said that 110 shuttlers, including 40 girls, were competing in the ranking tournament which was being hosted here for the first time. Competitions are being organised in the age groups of under-10, under-13, under-16 and under-19 for boys and girls singles and doubles. Mixed doubles event has been added in the under-19 categories.
Hectic activities were going at the Sector 42 Badminton Hall as the weeding out process was in progress today and yesterday. The main draw events are scheduled to commence tomorrow.
As there was an overwhelming response, the organisers had to conduct matches in the under-10 and under-13 categories at the Government Model School, Sector 23.
The CBA president said that Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan will inaugurate the tournament tomorrow while Panchkula Municipal Corporation president Ravinder Raval will preside over the inaugural function. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will distribute the prizes on November 23 while his wife Asha Hooda will be preside over the function.
Also present in the press conference were CBA general secretary TPS Puri and SAI coach Surinder Mahajan.
Meanwhile, Sumeet Reddy and Aruradha Shirkhande have been top seeded in the boys and girls under-19 singles. Nanda Gopal and PC Tulshi have been given second seedings in the boys and girls under-19 singles. Aditya Joshi (boys U-13), Ritupana Das (girls U-13), Sameer Verma (boys u-16) and PV Sindhu (gilrs U-16) have been top seeded in their respective singles category.
The organisers have also made arrangements for dope testing in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India.