The 79th Senior National Badminton Championship will be held in the city from January 29 to February 5, according to event organising committee chairman and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani).
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday along with Badminton National Chief Coach Pullela Gopichand and others, the MP said that the championship was being organised in the city after a gap of 34 years. As many as 600 players and officials representing 29 States and six Union territories besides Petroleum Sports Board, Air India, Indian Railway and Airports Authority of India would take part in the tournament, he said.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has sanctioned Rs. 1.5 crore for upgrading facilities at the DRMC Stadium here. The State government has set ambitious target of developing international level sports infrastructure and encourage budding sportsmen in the capital region. The government also has plans to conduct Olympics in days to come, he said.
It was pertinent to recall that Mr. Naidu developed world class sports facilities at Hyderabad when the TDP was at the helm of affairs in combined Andhra Pradesh, he added.
Mr. Gopichand unveiled logo of the championship. Air Costa is the title sponsor for the event. The co-sponsors are Sunrise India (Yonex), Andhra Cricket Association.
Organising Committee co-chairman and Vijayawada (East) MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao, Shuttler PVV Lakshmi, BAI secretary (events) K.Ch. Punnaiah Chowdary, organising secretary P. Ankamma Chowdary, Krishna District Badminton Association president K. Pattabhiram, LEPL Managing Director L.V.S. Rajasekhar, Management Consultant M.C. Das were also present.
