Bareilly: The 70th State-Level School Badminton and Table Tennis Championship began with colourful cultural programmes at the Badminton Hall of the Sports Stadium in Bareilly on Thursday. Teams representing 18 divisions of Uttar Pradesh, three sports colleges and one Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya are participating in the competition.
Around 900 boys and girls, along with nearly 200 team managers and coaches, are taking part in the state-level event.
Bareilly Divisional Commissioner Shambhu Kumar inaugurated the championship along with distinguished guest and retired Uttar Pradesh Education Director Dr Mahendra Dev by lighting a ceremonial lamp and offering floral tributes before Goddess Saraswati.
Addressing the participants, Kumar said children are the future of the country and urged them to participate with true sporting spirit. He said victory and defeat are integral parts of sport and encouraged players to continue striving with determination.
Dr Mahendra Dev wished the participants success and expressed hope that talented players would perform well at the state level and qualify for national competitions.
The inaugural ceremony featured a Saraswati Vandana by Government Girls Inter College, Bareilly, a welcome song by Mahavir Prasad Kanya Inter College, cultural performances by Draupadi Kanya Inter College, rangoli by Sahu Gopinath Kanya Inter College and a band performance by KPRC Kala Kendra Kanya Inter College.
International badminton umpire and field officer Ajendra Rai, Bareilly Badminton Association Secretary Anil Mehrotra, and several principals, sports officials and teachers attended the programme.
From Bareilly: Akhilesh Chandra Saxena
