ITANAGAR, Aug 8: The curtains of the 13th Dorjee Khandu Memorial State Badminton Championship (DKMSBC) were raised at the Khelo India Indoor Stadium here today, as Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the five-day premier tournament, announcing that the annual financial support for the prestigious championship will increase from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh starting from this year.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Khandu said the enhanced financial support aims to further strengthen the State’s badminton ecosystem and provide young players with a bigger platform to compete and excel.
He also assured that the enhanced allocation of Rs 50 lakh would continue for subsequent editions of the championship.
The annual championship, organized by Arunachal State Badminton Association (ASBA) in memory of former Chief Minister Late Dorjee Khandu, has emerged as an important platform for young shuttlers of Arunachal to compete at the State level and progress to zonal, regional, national and international competitions.
Khandu thanked the ASBA and its veteran players for their sustained contribution towards popularizing badminton across the State.
He recalled that Late Dorjee Khandu was deeply passionate about badminton and had played an important role in popularizing the sport in Arunachal Pradesh. He noted that during his father’s time, Itanagar had only one badminton court, located below Raj Bhavan (now Lok Bhavan), where many of today’s senior players used to play as youngsters.
Highlighting the rapid expansion of sports infrastructure in the State, Khandu informed that a 20,700 square metre plot of land donated by him near Sange Lhaden Sports Academy has been earmarked for the proposed Dorjee Khandu Badminton Academy.
He said construction of the academy, comprising 20 badminton courts, is currently underway.
“Once the academy is completed, we will be able to host international-level badminton competitions here,” the Chief Minister said, describing the project as a major boost for badminton lovers and players of the State.
Khandu also pointed out that the ongoing championship itself is being hosted at a modern facility created under the Khelo India Scheme, with around five ready badminton courts at the Khelo India Indoor Stadium.
He said the availability of quality infrastructure, coupled with growing technical expertise among local players, was helping Arunachal’s sporting talent realize its potential.
The Chief Minister noted that Arunachal Pradesh has made significant progress in sports arena over the past decade, particularly with the creation of better infrastructure and focused government support, particularly through PM Modi’s Khelo India initiative.
The Chief Minister said the government would continue to work closely with the Sports Department, the Arunachal Pradesh Olympic Association and various sports associations to strengthen the State’s sporting ecosystem. (CMO)