Young shuttlers shine at state badminton championship

The Himachal Pradesh State Sub-Junior Under-15 and Under-17 Badminton Championship concluded on a spirited note at the Town Hall, Mandi. Young talents from across the state showcased remarkable skill, determination and sportsmanship.

The closing ceremony was presided over by Raja Singh Malhotra, vice-president of the Himachal Pradesh Hockey Association and president of Soch Foundation, while Balwant Jhauta graced the event as the chief guest.

In the boys’ U-15 singles, Ishan Badhran from Hamirpur emerged as the Himachal Champion, defeating Suryansh from Kangra in a thrilling three-set final (2-1). Shaurya Sharma from Una and Arnav from Mandi claimed the third and fourth spots respectively. In the girls’ U-15 singles, Solan’s Tashvi Gupta outclassed Kullu’s Tejal Rajput in straight sets to clinch the state title.

The boys’ U-17 singles saw another nail-biting contest, with Hamirpur’s Shivansh Rana overcoming Kartik Thakur from Mandi (2-1) to lift the champion’s trophy. In the girls’ U-17 singles, Garima Verma from Mandi defeated Tashvi Gupta (2-1) to claim the top spot, while Sonakshi Jaswal (Shimla) and Riddhi Sharma (Una) secured third and fourth positions.

In doubles, Suryansh and Tejal Rajput triumphed in the U-15 mixed doubles, while the Kangra duo Ritual and Avni Thakur lifted the U-17 mixed doubles title. Amit Rana and Shaurya Sharma from Una clinched the boys’ U-15 doubles and Tashvi Gupta with Tejal Rajput dominated the girls’ U-15 doubles.

In the U-17 doubles categories, Pratham and Tanmay Thakur from Mandi won the boys’ title and Garima Verma and Shreya Rana claimed the girls’ crown after an impressive final. During the prize distribution, Raja Singh Malhotra lauded the young players’ performances and announced a personal contribution of Rs 51,000 to the Mandi District Badminton Association. Chief guest Balwant Jhauta pledged Rs 21,000 from his discretionary fund to support the association.