The 2nd National Para Badminton Championship was successfully organised by Uttar Pradesh Para Badminton Association under the aegis of Para Badminton Association at Sunbeam School in Varanasi from 23rd-25th March, 2018. The championship had around 200 participants from across India under six different categories- Wheelchair 1 (WH 1), Wheelchair 2 (WH 2), Standing Lower 2 (SL 3), Standing Lower 4 (SL 4), Standing Upper 5 (SU 5) and Short Stature 6 (SS 6).
Prem Kumar Ale of Maharashtra won the WH 1 Men’s Singles by defeating Suresh Kumar Karki by 21-10,21-10. Both Suresh and Prem are ex-armymen who were inmates at the Army’s Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Khadki. They were posted in different battalions of the Indian Army who lost sensation in their legs after meeting with fatal accidents. But both found solace in Badminton and now are regulars in national and international circuit.
In WH 1-2 Women’s Singles Combined, 31-year old Ammu Mohan from Bengaluru won in the final against Prema Vishwas by 21-16, 21-13. Ammu, who used to play tennis switched to badminton to achieve more success in life. She has regularly proved her point and is an acclaimed player now.
The WH 2 Men’s Singles witnessed seeded No 2 Abu Hubaida emerging victorious against seeded No 1 Sanjeev Kumar. Hubaida defeated Sanjeev Kumar by 21-10 in first game and 21-17 in a hard fought second game.
The Women’s Singles SL-3 category was a crackling event in which seeded No 1 Parul D Parmar defeated No 2 player Manasi Joshi by 21-16, 21-12. Parul, who was was afflicted with polio on her right leg when she was three years old, is currently No 1 in the world. She won two golds in women’s singles and doubles in the Para Badminton World Championships in 2017. Manasi, on the other hand, who lost her left leg after a fatal accident in 2011, continued her badminton during her rehabilitation process. The game has helped her to look into this world in a lot broader and better way.
In the final of Men’s Singles SL-3, Pramod Bhagat defeated Manoj Sarkar in a three-game match. Pramod, who hails from Orissa, won by by 21-12 7-21 21-17.
Jyoti won against Chiranjita Bharali by 21-19 21-13 in the Women’s Singles SL-4 category.
The Men’s Singles SL-4 category comprised of star players like Tarun Dhillon and Suhas L Y. IAS officer Suhas L Y, who won many laurels for India won the coveted final by defeating 21-year old Tarun Dhillon by 21-12, 21-17. Tarun who has disability in his right knee from his early childhood, never allowed his disability to constrain him. On the other hand, Suhas is the epitome of courage. Presently serving as District Magistrate of Allahabad, he has been an inspiration to many para athletes.
Jyoti Jangra won against S Rakshana by 21-13, 21-5 in Women’s Singles SU-5 and and Chirag Baretha won against Raj Kumar by 21-16, 14-21, 21-17 in Men’s Singles SU-5.
In the Men’s Singles SS-6 category, Krishna Nagar won by 20-22 6-3 after his opponent Raja Magotra retired hurt.
