SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, January 6: The Jamshedpur pair of Kritan Agrawal and Santu Sharma emerged champions of the one-day outdoor Open Cash Prize Badminton Championship, which concluded at Katras on Tuesday.
In the final, the Jamshedpur duo defeated the Ranchi pair of Priyanshu Sharma and Yuvraj Kumar in straight games 21-14, 21-12 to lift the title.
Prize Money and Best Player Award
The winning pair received a cash prize of Rs 15,000, while the runners-up were awarded Rs 10,000. Santu Sharma was also adjudged the Best Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance.
Officials Grace the Event
The tournament was inaugurated by Dhanbad District Board Chairman Sharda Singh, who was the chief guest. District Sports Officer Umesh Lohra attended as the guest of honour. District Badminton Association Secretary Samrat Choudhary was also present on the occasion.
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Participation from Several Districts
Organising Secretary Sandeep Dey said that 16 selected pairs from Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Jamtara, Giridih, Dumka, Dhanbad, Sindri, and other areas participated in the championship.
He said the tournament was deliberately organised in the remote Katras region to promote badminton at the grassroots level and encourage local talent.
“There is no shortage of budding talent in remote areas, but lack of exposure and opportunities prevents players from coming forward,” Dey said.
Indoor Stadium Planned at Katras
Dey also announced plans to construct an indoor badminton stadium at Katras Bazar to help young players train locally, as many cannot afford to travel 35 km daily to Dhanbad town for practice. He added that a training programme would also be introduced for aspiring players.
Organising Team Praised
Shivam Singh, Shivam Dashondhi, Arun Rana, Joy Chatterjee and Nikhil Roy played a key role in making the tournament a success, the organisers said.
