SEPPA, 6 Aug: The 10th Dorjee Khandu (DK) Memorial State Badminton Championship got underway at the Officers’ Club badminton hall here in East Kameng district on Sunday.
The tournament was declared open by Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Mama Natung, in the presence of MLA Tapuk Taku, DC Sachin Rana, SP Kamdam Sikom, district BJP president Ealing Tallang, and others.
The tournament is being organised by the East Kameng Badminton Association, under the aegis of the Arunachal State Badminton Association.
Twenty-nine teams, comprising 304 shuttlers (70 women and 234 men), from various districts across the state are participating in the prestigious tournament.
The four-day tournament will be played at the Officer’s Club badminton hall and the newly inaugurated Ato Sopa Singhi badminton hall here.
Natung in his address underlined the significance of sports for health, and advised the youths to refrain from drugs and play badminton or any other sport.
“Sports are some of the best careers one can opt for in these modern times, and sports promotes communal harmony too,” said Natung.
Stating that Arunachal has huge potential in sports, he expressed hope that “very soon the youths of the state will be competing in the international area and the Olympics.”
He said that the state government has created plenty of infrastructures for sports and is committed to do more.
“These infrastructures will change the sporting graph in our state, and our youths should enjoy the facilities,” he said.
The minister paid homage to former chief minister late Dorjee Khandu, and acknowledged his “contributions in transforming the state with modern infrastructural developments.”
Natung also announced to raise the existing Rs 25 lakhs fund to Rs 75 lakhs for smooth continuation of the Dorjee Khandu Memorial State Badminton Championship in the days to come.
MLA Tapuk Taku urged everyone to be disciplined and maintain sportsmen’s spirit.
The opening ceremony was marked by a cultural drama on the relation between humans and nature, to promote protection of wildlife, particularly birds.
