Odisha Sports Minister inaugurates 4th National Para Badminton Championship

Odisha Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera inaugurated the 4th National Para Badminton Championship in Bhubaneswar on Friday (December 24).

The Para Badminton tournament is scheduled to take place from December 24-26, where over 500 athletes will be competing.

Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat, bronze winner Manoj Sarkar, Krishna Nagar, and Palak Kohli, among several other shuttlers, will compete at the event.

Meanwhile, Paralympic silver medallist Suhas L Yathiraj has withdrawn from the Para Badminton National Championship due to personal reasons.

The Para Sports Association of Odisha, along with the Department of Sports and Youth Government of Odisha, have joined hands to organize the three-day mega event.

Odisha Sports Minister Behera, along with Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) Chief Deepa Malik, inaugurated the event by playing a badminton match.

"Our Para athletes have brought great glory for India at the Tokyo Paralympics and we are proud of each one of them," said Tusharkanti Behera. "It is a big day for us as we host the 4th National Para Badminton Championship and welcome each and every one to this Championship and I wish everyone the very best for the games."

The Indian contingent returned with 19 medals from the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics.

"Odisha set great example by supporting various sports," - PCI President Deepa Malik

PCI President Deepa Malik, meanwhile, extolled the Odisha government for their work and efforts in the field of sports.

"In recent times, Odisha has set a great example by supporting various sports and taking them to new heights," she said. "In the same vein, Odisha has now come forward to host Para-Badminton Nationals, a sport which has recently given India 4 Paralympic medals! The Paralympic Committee of India is proud to work with the Odisha government and the Para Sports Association of Odisha to conduct this tournament."

The para badminton event will be conducted at two venues: Railway Indoor Stadium, Bhubaneswar and Udaan Badminton Academy. Udaan Badminton Academy Chairman Ashok Mishra thanked Tusharkanti Behera for inaugurating the event.

"I would like to thank Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera for inaugurating the event," he said. "The championship is being organized at a grand scale and we would like to wish everyone good luck."