New badminton programme launched

 In a bid to help identify fresh talents at the grassroot level and provide them a platform to exhibit their skills, the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy has launched the Tata Capital Super Shuttlers programme.

Having tasted reasonable success in Mumbai last year, the PPBA, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this October, decided to try a similar programme in Bangalore where thousands of kids enrol for ranking events.

As per the programme, for kids aged between eight and 15 years, coaches from PPBA, including renowned Indonesian Yusuf Jauhari, will conduct two-day workshops at five clubs -- Karnataka Badminton Association, Sadashivanagar Club, Hennur Banaswadi Cosmopolitan Club, Malleswaram Association and Bowring Institute.

Following the clinics at the five associated clubs, 20 boys and 20 girls will be picked to compete in a tournament during the third week of August from which two boys and two girls will be selected for a coaching programme at the PPBA. “Until last year, the PPBA was predominantly focussed on elite shuttlers,” said Prakash Padukone at a press conference here on Wednesday. “We decided we needed to identify and promote fresh talent.

“This programme will be of a great benefit for kids who haven’t played badminton at all. The two-day clinic is a way of encouraging them to take up the sport. For kids who are already involved with the sport, it’s a great opportunity to work with some top coaches for a short duration. Nearly 500 kids turned up in Mumbai last year and we hope to see a higher participation here.”