Mumbai :
CWG doubles gold medalistand IBL ICON Player Ashwini Ponnappa launched the Indian Badminton League’s School Programme initiative – ‘Shuttle Express’ here today at the JamnabaiNarsee School, Mumbai.
The IBL is an initiative of the Badminton Association of India with Sporty Solutionz as the Commercial Partner. JamnabaiNarsee School is the IBL School Partner for the Mumbai leg and the school championship in the city is being held under the aegis of the Maharashtra Badminton Associationat the Badminton Courts in Khar Gymkhana, 15th Road, on July 17-18. An unprecedented number of students in Mumbai will be vying for the titles in both the boys and girls singles categories in the city leg. The city winners will play the All-India Finals during the forthcoming IBL in August.
Speaking during the briefing, Shuttle Sensation Ashwini Ponnappa said, “It’s a happy moment for every Indian badminton player today as this initiative by IBL will see badminton rise in India and hence motivate the future players to achieve more historic feats for everyone to witness, cherish and feel proud of. Wishing the participants‘All the Best’ and may the next champion of India win the Shuttle Express”.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. AshishChadha, CEO, Sporty Solutionz, said, “We saw a great response during the kick-off ceremony of the ‘Shuttle Express’ in Delhi and we are witnessing the same amount of enthusiasm and participation in Mumbai. The reason behind launching the Shuttle Express is to boost the young talent at grass root level. The overwhelming response from the schools and children gives us the confidence that Shuttle Express will give India its next champion shuttler. We take this opportunity to thank our IBL School Partner for Mumbai leg JamnabaiNarsee Schoolfor their support for this initiative”.
Speaking on Shuttle Express, Badminton Association of India President & MP, Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta, said, “It gives us immense joy and pride to introduce the IBL School Programme initiative – Shuttle Express, to lakhs of students across the country. We hope the effort taken by our badminton icons and stars to visit schools in six cities will inspire many youngsters to take up the sport.”
Speaking on Shuttle Express, Principal of JamnabaiNarseeSchool, MsSudeshnaChatterjeesaid, “JamnabaiNarseeSchool has always considered sports to be an important attribute of education. So, we are immensely proud of our association with IBL Shuttle Express and thank AshwiniPonnappa for encouraging our sportspersons in the making, to aspire to much more than the ordinary.”
With its launch in Delhi on 12 July, the Shuttle Express is all set to roll in Mumbai today, followed by Hyderabad on July 16, Pune from July 17, Lucknow on July 19 and finally in Bangalore. Each city will witness matches being played over two days and the National finals will be held in Mumbai
which will be beamed LIVE on TV from August 28-31, 2013, as part of theIBL. The Shuttle Express will offer an incentive of Rs 10 lakh in prize money to the National winners in both the boys and girls singles events. The finalists in both the categories will also be given an opportunity to train at the world-class PullelaGopichand Academy.
The path-breaking IBL will be held in six cities from August 14-31. The richest badminton league in the world will feature almost all the top-50 players in the world and will be played under the Sudirman Cup format and televised LIVE to more than 100 countries.
source: http://www.indianbadmintonleague.com / IBL / Home> Big Story / Mumbai – July 15th, 2013
