State shuttlers lift badminton titles

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 27

Dhruv Rawat and Sneha Rajwar, residents of Almora, and Mansa Rawat, a resident of Bageshwar, have won the boys’ U-15, girls’ U-13 and girls’ U-9 titles, respectively, of the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship Season-2. The rising stars from Uttarakhand defeated opponents from Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra to secure the coveted scholarships.

Dhruv Rawat has claimed the boys’ U-15 championship for the second consecutive year. He started training with his father in 2010 and has displayed great skills by winning various badminton tournaments.

To sharpen his skills and improve his performance, he went to Bangkok for a one-month training programme.

Sneha Rajwar has been playing badminton for the past five years and has participated in numerous tournaments. She is dedicated towards her training and practices daily at a stadium near her residence.

Mansa Rawat, the U-9 champion, started her badminton journey at the age of 7 years, with her father supporting her to master the sport. She practices for 8-9 hours daily and aims to become an international player.

As part of the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship Scholarship, the three children will be trained in a reputed academy of their choice. Focused to build a career in sports, these three talented players have not only brought fame to their families but also hold promise of badminton careers.

Excited on their success, the kids said, “We aim to become international players like Saina Nehwal and P Kashyap in the future. The guidance of our respected coaches and scholarships from PNB MetLife will help us in fulfilling our dreams. We are very grateful to PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship for this wonderful opportunity to showcase our talent. We will put in our best efforts and will make the country proud.”