Jalandhar, Dec 2, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab State Senior Badminton Championship concluded on a grand note at the Raizada Hansraj Badminton Stadium, Jalandhar. Jalandhar’s Manya Ralhan and Mridul Jha were the standout performers, each bagging double crowns in their respective categories.
Ralhan won the women’s singles and doubles, while Jha won the men’s singles and mixed doubles. Also, Adyan Kakkar from Amritsar won both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles, making it a memorable tournament for the region.
DBA Secretary Ritin Khanna said around 200 players participated in five events including singles, doubles and mixed doubles. This year’s championship marked a milestone for the Punjab Badminton Association when it introduced cash prizes totaling Rs. 2 million for the first time in history.
The winners were presented with their prizes by the Chief Guest, Dr. Himanshu Agarwal, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar. In addition, Inayat Gulati from Jalandhar and Jagshar Kangura from Patiala were awarded cash prizes of Rs. 11,000 each for their exceptional achievements.
The winning players will represent Punjab in the National Championship to be held in Bengaluru later this month.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Agarwal encouraged the youth to make sports an integral part of their lives and highlighted the benefits of physical, mental and personal development. He emphasized that success in sports develops key life skills such as perseverance, teamwork and focus, all of which are essential for success in any field.
The event was attended by several celebrities including PBA secretary Anupam Kumaria, Rakesh Khanna, Naresh Budiya, Anil Bhatti, AK Kaushal, Dreaj Sharma, Mayank Behl and Parminder Sharma.
The final result was as follows: In the women’s singles final, Manya Ralhan beat Samridi Bhardwaj 21-18, 21-13. In the men’s singles final, Mridul Jha narrowly defeated Shikhar Rallan 27-25, 21-19.
The men’s doubles final saw Adyan Kakkar and Mridul Jha dominate Love Kumar and Mayank Behal with a 21-18, 21-12 win. In the women’s doubles final, Manya Ralhan and Samridhi Bhardwaj beat Lisa Tank and Saanvi Nautiyal 22-20, 21-11. In the mixed doubles final, Adyan Kakkar and Lisa Tank beat Manmohit Sandhu and Manya Ralhan 21-16, 21-16.