Vijayawada to host senior national badminton championship from Dec 22 to 28

Vijayawada: Vijayawadais set to host Yonex-Sunrise 87th Senior National Badminton Championships – 2025, scheduled from December 22 to 28, marking the city's first time in a decade. This prestigious seven-day event has been allotted by Badminton Association of India (BAI) to Andhra Pradesh Badminton Association. The event will take place at Chennupati Ramakotaiah Municipal Corporation (CHRMC) Indoor Stadium in Patamata.

The tournament will feature world-class athletes, including Olympic medalist PV Sindhu, international stars such as Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Sameer Verma, Mithun, and many national and international players. The winners of the tournament will receive a total prize money of Rs 60 lakh, the highest for domestic tournaments in India.

In conjunction with this announcement, international badminton star and Deputy Collector Kidambi Srikanth, along with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath alias Chinni, Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Chairman Animini Ravi Naidu, and Andhra Pradesh Badminton Association (APBA) General Secretary Dr P Ankamma Chowdary, unveiled the logo and poster for Yonex-Sunrise 87th Senior National Badminton Championships at a hotel in Vijayawada on Sunday.

During the event, Kidambi Srikanth stated that hosting senior national badminton tournaments in Vijayawada would greatly help identify young talent. He praised the State government for prioritising sports and supporting the development of badminton. With the support of the government, many young players would prove their talent in this tournament, he explained.

MP Kesineni Sivanath stressed the importance of hosting national-level competitions throughout the State and commended the State's badminton players for bringing recognition to the region. He noted that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM K Pawan Kalyan are committed to enhancing sports infrastructure. Plans are in place to host National Games in the State and to establish a Sports University, along with a major stadium, in the capital region.

Furthermore, he mentioned that Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) is collaborating with Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh to encourage sports and games. Special committees will be formed in conjunction with International Cricket Stadium at Mangalagiri and other stadiums across the State.

SAAP Chairman Ravi Naidu stated the government is working towards establishing a badminton academy in the State, in consultation with national badminton chief coach Pullela Gopichand. He highlighted the State has provided 3% reservation in jobs for sportspersons, with 421 posts filled under sports quota in the recent DSC. Additionally, land has been allocated for academies in Tirupati for Srikanth, in Visakhapatnam for PV Sindhu, and in Amaravati for Gopichand.