Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took stock of the preparations for the Sub-Junior National Badminton Championship to be held at the historic Raizada Hansraj Stadium in Jalandhar in December this year. During his visit, the Chief Minister announced a special grant of Rs 2.14 crore for the construction of a state-of-the-art indoor badminton hall, reiterating the commitment of the Punjab Government to strengthen sports infrastructure across the state and promote success in sports.
Chief Minister during this time Bhagwant Maan Said that after almost 44 years, the National Badminton Championship is returning to the historic Raizada Hansraj Stadium. He said, “This championship of the Under-13 category will give a big boost to badminton in Punjab and will further strengthen the sports culture in the state. The Punjab government is committed to promote sports to channelize the immense energy of the youth in a positive direction.”
Tender process will start soon
The Chief Minister handed over a check of Rs 2.14 crore to Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varjeet Singh Walia and Punjab Badminton Association Secretary Ritin Khanna for the construction of a new indoor badminton hall. “This is the first time in almost six decades that a sitting Chief Minister has visited this historic stadium, which has produced many brilliant badminton players,” he noted.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “The Public Works Department (PWD) will complete this project and the tender process will start soon. The construction work is expected to start in August. The existing four outdoor multipurpose courts will be converted into a world-class indoor badminton facility equipped with international level infrastructure.”
He said, “This advanced infrastructure will significantly strengthen Punjab’s ability to host prestigious national and international badminton tournaments. This stadium has been selected to host the Sub-Junior National Badminton Championships in December this year, which will be the first national badminton championship to be held here in almost four decades.”
During his visit, the Chief Minister interacted with players, coaches and sports officials and took stock of the existing sports infrastructure at the stadium. He assured the badminton fraternity that the Punjab government will provide all possible support for the successful conduct of the championship and will continue to invest in the development of sports infrastructure across the state.
Punjab gave many great players
The Chief Minister said that Punjab has produced many great players and has had a deep connection with sports for centuries. “Our revered Sikh Gurus promoted not only spirituality but also physical fitness through sports. Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji established the ‘Mall Akhara’ at Khadoor Sahib and himself supervised wrestling and physical training, while Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji trained the youth in horse riding and archery. Dashmesh Pita Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji was involved in every sport and martial art of his time. Even today, Punjab proudly displays its rich sporting traditions through the traditional games performed during Hola Mahalla at Sri Anandpur Sahib.
The Chief Minister said, “The Punjab government’s continuous investment in sports infrastructure and development of athletes has already started yielding encouraging results, with many players from the state making it to high-level competitions.” He reiterated that the government will continue to make every possible effort to promote sports and create world class facilities for the youth of Punjab.
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