Inayat bags 6 golds, Divyam wins title at badminton championship

The four-day Jalandhar District Badminton Championship concluded on Sunday with remarkable performances across age groups and categories, highlighting both experience and emerging young talent.

The prize distribution ceremony was briefly attended by Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, who presided over the event and lauded the efforts of all participants for their discipline, dedication and sportsmanship.

In the men's singles final, Divyam Sachdeva clinched the crown with a straight-sets victory over Shivansh Puri. In the women's singles, Samridhi Bhardwaj successfully defended her title, overcoming a stiff challenge from Manya Ralhan.

However, the championship wasn't without surprises. State Champion Mridul Jha and former champion Madhav Kanaujia were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the men's singles, leading to major upsets in the draw.

The biggest talking point of the tournament was 14-year-old Inayat Gulati, who stunned audiences by defeating reigning champion Samridhi Bhardwaj in the U-19 girls' finals. Inayat went on to secure a total of six gold medals across different events, establishing herself as Punjab's newest badminton sensation.

Dr Aggarwal also used the occasion to appeal to players, parents, and guests to support the district administration's flood relief programme, urging everyone to contribute generously towards relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The event was graced by Rajesh Kumar, Senior Marketing Head, Indian Oil, who served as guest of honour and praised the District Badminton Association (DBA) for the professional conduct of the tournament.

According to Ritin Khanna, Secretary, Punjab Badminton Association, the tournament saw participation from over 400 players in 39 events, with a total of 471 matches played over four days. Winners were felicitated with cash prizes and awards worth Rs 6 lakh. A special moment during the ceremony was the Lifetime Achievement Award presented posthumously to Late Ustad Chaman Lal Ratti, in recognition of his long-standing service to the association.