From smashes to glory: Kangra district stamps its dominance

The Himachal Pradesh Under-19 Badminton Championship concluded with an exciting finish at the Rao Badminton Academy in Una, even as the State Senior Men’s and Women’s competitions began at the same venue today.

Kangra district stamped its dominance in the singles category, securing victories in both the boys’ and girls’ finals. In boys’ singles, Karan Sharma of Kangra lifted the championship trophy after defeating Devansh Rana of Hamirpur, who settled for runner-up. In the girls’ singles final, Bharti Sharma of Kangra triumphed over Pragya Verma of Shimla.

The doubles contests, however, showcased a different mix of talent. In boys’ doubles, the pair of Devansh Rana and Karn Sharma emerged champions by overcoming Harshvardhan and Suryansh. The girls’ doubles title went to the Verma sisters’ duo — Garima and Pragya — who defeated Amrita Thakur and Bharti Sharma. Mixed doubles brought more thrills, with Devansh Rana partnering Pragya Verma to defeat Karan Sharma and Yakshita Samra in the final.