Manipur grants fund aid to badminton players

Imphal, Oct 4 (EMN): Manipur’s Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh has disbursed financial assistance to parents of four junior badminton players who are representing India at the Asian Badminton Championship (under-15 and under-17) which is to be held at Yangon, Myanmar; and the World Junior Badminton Championship (under-19) slated to begin on Oct. 9 in Indonesia.
Singh handed over a sum of Rs. 50,000 each to the parents of the four players.
Speaking during the occasion, Singh said that the Indian badminton players were of ‘higher standards’ and they will flourish in future in challenging top players around the world. He said that the sport was gaining popularity in India especially in Manipur.
‘We have a number of talented players who need to be encouraged so that they can perform very well in at the national and international tournaments,’ he said. Countries such as China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Denmark have dominated the sport for years ‘but nowadays players from India, Japan, Korea and Thailand have been challenging them levelling up to the top most positions,’ the minister asserted.
The deputy chief minister expressed confidence that they would be able to win medals in major tournaments and ‘even in the Olympics.’
At the Asian Badminton Championship for 2017, Punshiba Yenkhom from Kakching Mayai Leikai will play in the Singles; Maisnam Meiraba Luwang from Sega Road will play in the Singles for the under-17 category.
K Dingko and Kh Manjit, both from Ningthoukhong will participate in the Doubles event at the World Junior Badminton Championship.