Several leading shuttlers from India will be seen in action participating in the prestigious Central Zone Inter-State Badminton Championships 2017, which is being conducted by the Air-India Sports Promotion Board ( AISPB ) at Dadoji Konddev Stadium, Thane.
AISPB Joint Secretary, Dhanraj Pillay, a four-time Olympian and India hockey captain addresses the players and officials from the various teams during the opening ceremony of the Central Zone Inter-State Badminton Championships 2017
The top teams like Petroleum Sports Promotions Board (PSPB), Indian Railways, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and host Air India will be competing for top honours in this tournament, which is being organised under the aegis of Badminton Association of India, from August 29 to 31, 2017.
Some of the prominent players who will be competing in this event include, Parupalli Kashyap, Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, H.S. Pronoy, Grand Prix Winner, Ritupurna Das who recently participated in World Championship and V. Diju, Olympian & Arjuna Awardee, Aparna Balan, 5-time National Champion, Prajakta Sawant (Air India), who had participated in recently held World Championship in Glasgow, Dhruv Kapila (Air India ), the Junior National Champion and quarter-finalist at the Junior World Championship and Chirag Sen (Air India), former Junior World Number 2.
Earlier, the AISPB Joint Secretary, Dhanraj Pillay, a four-time Olympian and India hockey captain and Senior AGM, Pravin Amre, Indian Test cricketer graced the occasion at the inauguration function held earlier. The other dignitaries present were Sundar Shetty, Secretary, Maharashtra Badminton Association and Shrikant Vad, President, Thane City & District Badminton Association.