BAI to hold All India Junior Ranking Badminton tournament in Bengaluru from April 4

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will conduct the All India Junior Ranking Badminton tournament in Bengaluru from April 4 to 10.

The week-long Under-19 tournament for boys and girls will be organised by the Karnataka State Badminton Association under BAI's auspices. The BAI issued an official circular to their affiliated units on Saturday where the resumption of the junior tournament for the first time since 2019 was mentioned.

The BAI successfully conducted two All India Senior Ranking tournaments in Chennai and Hyderabad in December 2021. The governing body of sports in India also hosted three BWF World Tour international tournaments in January this year.

However, after three years, the BAI is resuming the junior domestic circuit in India. This will be a huge boost for the young players in the country eagerly waiting for the junior tournaments to restart. The venue for the tournament will be the Padukone Dravid Center for Sports Excellence, Survey No. 336, Bettahalasuru, Jala Hobli, Yelahankar, Bengaluru.

The qualifying matches will be played from April 4 to 6, while the main draw action will start on April 7. All the finals will be played on April 10.

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BAI announces Rs 4 lakh prize money for junior badminton tournament

The BAI has announced that the total prize money for the tournament will be Rs 4 lakh. The U-19 boys and girls singles winners will be richer by Rs 39,000 each, while runners-up will collect Rs 20,000 apiece. Semi-finalists will be given Rs 15,000, while the quarter-finalists will pocket Rs 12,000 each.

The champions of U-19 boys doubles, U-19 girls doubles and U-19 mixed doubles will collect Rs 41,000 each. Runners-up will pocket Rs 20,000, while semi-finalists will be awarded Rs 15,000 each.

The main draw for singles events will be of 64 players, while that for the three doubles events will be of 32.

Only players born on or after January 1, 2004 will be eligible to participate in the tournament.

The entry fee for singles is Rs 750 and Rs 1500 for doubles. The last date of entry is March 14. The draw will be out on April 2, 2022. Yonex AS 30 shuttles will be used in the tournament.

Sriharsha Bade, general manager of Padukone Sports Management, will be the organising secretary. For more details, he can be contacted on his mobile (9121789123). All the top junior shuttlers in the country are expected to participate in the tournament.