KATHMANDU, Aug 25: First Brothers Badminton Tournament is set to begin in Kathmandu on Thursday. Brothers Sports Hall, Gangata Youth Club and Dhorpatan Club are jointly organizing the four-day tournament on the occasion of Krishna Janmasthami.
All the matches will be held at Brothers Sports Hall, Gongabu. Organizing a press meet in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the organizers informed that more than 250 participants are taking part in the tournament in seven events including U-10 boys and girls singles, U-12 boys and girls singles, ice-breaking event and men's double.
According to the organizers, participants have to pay Rs 200 as entry fee in the U-10 and U-12 of boys and girls categories while Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 have been set for ice breaking event and men's double event respectively.
The organizers said that the main objective of the tournament is to provide exposure to young badminton players. “We have four events for junior players in the tournament, U-10 and 12 girls/boys and our main objective behind it is to strengthen the skills of junior badminton players,” said Resham Pun, chairman of Gangata Youth Club.
BG Mall is the sponsor of the tournament. It will provide Rs 50,000 in cash and 50,000 in kind. On the same occasion, BG Mall's Executive Raju Giri promised to continue the sponsorship in the coming edition of the tournaments as well.
The top three finishers from each event will be rewarded with cash, medals and trophies. The estimated budget of the tournament is Rs 6, 68,000.
The organizers have decided to hand the entry fees collected from U-10 and U-12 boys and girls events to Baby Life Home, an organization that is working for HIV/AIDS-affected children.
Nepal Badminton Association's President Ramji Bahadur Shrestha said that such tournaments will nurture the talent of young badminton players.
Shrestha also informed on the same occasion that Nepal Badminton Association will organize an international badminton championship in coming December in Nepal. The championship will include events for senior players only.
Open badminton from June 25
