TAWANG, Jul 31: The 6th Dorjee Khandu Memorial District Level Badminton Tournament was inaugurated by Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi at the Jang Sports Club in Tawang district on Wednesday.
Tashi, in his inaugural address said, “this tournament is very close to our family. The tournament is being organized as a tribute to late Dorjee Khandu, who was very fond of badminton and used to encourage everyone to play it,” Tashi said.
Noting the young players from Lungla, he said, “it is a great achievement for us that these young players are coming up. We hope to see them playing at national and international levels in the near future. We need to encourage youngsters of Tawang and Jang also by engaging coaches as in Lungla.”
Conveying his best wishes to all the participating teams, he said, “I have high expectations from MP Kiren Rijiju, who is also the union minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, that he will initiate lots of new projects in our area towards development of games and sports.”
Earlier, Jang Additional Deputy Commissioner cum chairman of the Jang Sports Club, Lobsang Wangchu Bapu lauded the MLA and family members of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, for their constant support in making any event a grand success in Jang in particular and Tawang district in general.
Speaking on the occasion, secretary of the Jang Sports Club, Dr Rinchin Neema informed that the tournament is an annual event since 2012, sponsored by the family members of Late Dorjee Khandu.
Remembering the contributions of late Dorjee Khandu in popularizing badminton in Arunachal Pradesh, Dr Rinchin further informed that from next year on, the nomenclature of the tournament will be changed to late Dorjee Khandu Tawang Premier League.
Three clubs, namely Lungla Sports Club, Tawang Sports Club and Jang Sports Club are participating in the tournament. Women veteran and under-19 categories have also been included in the tournament from this year on to encourage women.
Among others, the inaugural function was attended by Rinchin Drema, wife of late Dorjee Khandu and Rajesh Thakur, Commandant 38th Bn SSB Tawang. (DIPRO)
