The All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament-2015 was inaugurated at the JNTUK Stadium here on Tuesday. The event would be continued for five days in which players from all the 29 States were participating. MLC Boddu Bhaskara Rama Rao declared the tournament open in the presence of Kakinada Rural MLA Pilli Anantalakshmi, Additional SP R. Damodar and badminton players form different parts of the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rao said that he had a penchant for badminton from his childhood and he was feeling happy that the national-level sport event was being hosted by Kakinada.
Ms. Anatalakshmi said that the JNTUK Stadium was equipped with infrastructure and facilities to conduct sports events of the national and international importance.
Lauding the efforts of the East Godavari Badminton Association (EGBA) in hosting the national event in Kakinada, she wished that many more sport events of national importance would be conducted in the city in the days to come. EGBA president and organising secretary of the event T. Narayana Reddy said that qualifying matches would be held on the first two days and the main draw would be held from October 8. Thanking all the sponsors who came forward to assist the EGBA in hosting the event, he said that a sum of Rs. 10 lakh would be presented to winners towards prize money. Organising secretary of the Badminton Association of India K.Ch. Punnaiah Chowdary, president of the organising committee D. Veerabhadra Reddy and others were present.
