23rd Badminton Championship brings hundreds of young players together in Indoor Stadium, Budgam

• Strong collaboration between private & govt. schools can strengthen education,sports opportunities for students: CEO Budgam Bashir Ganaie

BUDGAM: Hundreds of school students from across Budgam came together with great enthusiasm and sporting spirit at the Indoor Stadium Budgam as the 23rd Badminton Championship commenced. The two-day championship, being held on August 24 and 25, 2026, is being organised by the District Budgam Badminton Association in collaboration with the Private Schools Association (PSA) and J&K Badminton Association, under the aegis of the J&K Sports Council. The event is providing young badminton players an opportunity to showcase their talent, improve their skills and compete in a healthy sporting environment while learning the values of discipline, teamwork, confidence and sportsmanship.

The event was graced by Chief Education Officer (CEO) Budgam Bashir Ahmad Ganaie as the Chief Guest, while PSA State President Bilal Ahmad Bhat attended as the Guest of Honour. Among those present on the occasion were Chairman Budgam Badminton Association Showkat Anim, President District Budgam Badminton Association and PSA Budgam Dr. Owais Mattoo, Secretary Budgam Badminton Association Manzoor Ahmad Dar, Organizing Secretary Dar Roman, PSA PRO B.A. Shah, renowned sports promoter Nazir Ahmad Mir and other members of the sports and education fraternity.

Speaking on the occasion, CEO Budgam Bashir Ahmad Ganaie strongly emphasised the role of sports and co-curricular activities in shaping responsible and confident citizens. “Such sporting events are not merely competitions; they are powerful learning spaces where children develop discipline, teamwork, resilience and the confidence to pursue their goals. When we bring children out of the classroom and onto the playing field, We teach them important lessons of life how to work hard, how to accept defeat, how to celebrate victory and most importantly how to keep moving towards their goals.”

He said that the children participating in such events represent the future human resource of society and may go on to become doctors, engineers, professors, sportspersons and professionals in different fields. Ganaie stressed that education cannot remain confined to classroom walls, observing that physical activity and sporting exposure are equally important for the holistic development of students.

“Just as it is important to teach children inside classrooms, it is equally important to bring them to grounds and indoor stadiums. Sports help us channelise the tremendous energy of our youth towards constructive and meaningful pursuits.” He appreciated the participation of students from different areas of Budgam and encouraged private and government schools to provide greater opportunities for children to participate in sporting activities.

Calling for stronger cooperation between government and private educational institutions, the CEO said that joint initiatives could create more opportunities for students and strengthen the educational and sporting ecosystem of the district. He also underlined the need to engage young people in positive activities, saying that sports can play a significant role in keeping children away from unhealthy distractions and negative influences.

Budgam Badminton Association, Chairman Showkat Anim “We will make every effort to promote and strengthen badminton in Budgam district, support our young players and provide them with better opportunities so that they can develop their skills and represent the district at bigger platforms”. PSA State President Bilal Ahmad Bhat congratulated the organisers, particularly Dr. Owais Mattoo and the District Budgam Badminton Association, for providing students with a meaningful platform to participate in sports.

He said “When we bring children onto the playing field, we give them much more than a game we give them confidence, discipline, teamwork and the ability to face life’s challenges. In an age when children are increasingly spending long hours on mobile phones and other activities, sports can become one of the most effective ways of reconnecting them with healthy, active and purposeful lives.”

Bhat said that the vision of New Education Policy (NEP-2020) also emphasises moving beyond classroom, education and encouraging creativity, activity-based learning and holistic development. He urged parents to encourage their children to participate in sports and co-curricular activities rather than allowing excessive dependence on mobile phones and other screen time. “A child should not grow up only with books and screens. Children need playgrounds, teams, challenges and healthy competition. Sports teach lessons that no textbook can fully deliver.”

He further said that the PSA continue supporting such initiatives and expressed hope that similar badminton championships and other sporting events would be organised across other districts of Jammu & Kashmir. President District Budgam Badminton Association and PSA Budgam Dr. Owais Mattoo said the championship was aimed at expanding the sporting culture among students and identifying promising badminton talent at the grassroots level.

He said “Education today cannot remain confined to the four walls of a classroom. We have to take children beyond the classroom, onto the playing field and into structured sporting activities. Sports are one of the best ways to channelise the energy of children and transform it into confidence, discipline, leadership and excellence.”

Dr. Mattoo said the association would work towards giving maximum schools an opportunity to participate in badminton and developing a stronger representation of Budgam at higher levels of competition. He announced that the association would explore training camps, school-level programmes and zonal-level activities to identify and nurture emerging players.

Dr. Owais Mattoo also highlighted the need for better infrastructure for indoor sports, particularly badminton and urged that at least one properly equipped indoor sporting facility be made available in every zone to enable young athletes to train regularly. “Talent is available in every corner of Budgam district, but talent needs opportunity, coaching and infrastructure. Our effort will be to create a structured pathway from school-level participation to district, divisional and state-level representation.”

Renowned sports personality and promoter Nazir Ahmad Mir appreciated the participation of students and the initiative taken by the organisers to promote badminton among young people. He said “The real victory of a sporting event is not limited to the medals on the podium, it is reflected in the confidence, discipline and character that children carry back with them. When a child learns to compete fairly, respect an opponent, accept defeat and work harder for the next opportunity, that child is learning the foundations of success in life.”

He said that sustained sporting opportunities at the school level were essential for discovering and nurturing young talent and called for greater coordination among schools, sports associations, parents and institutions. Participating students expressed happiness over getting an opportunity to compete in a professionally organised championship and said the experience helped them improve not only their badminton skills but also their confidence and understanding of sportsmanship.

One participating student said “This championship gave us an opportunity to compete with students from different schools and learn from each other. Winning is important, but the biggest lesson for us was to remain focused, disciplined and confident.” Another student said “Playing in an indoor stadium in front of other students and officials gave us a lot of confidence. We learned that success requires regular practice, patience and the courage to accept mistakes and improve.”

The participation of students from different schools and areas of Budgam district reflected the growing interest among young people in badminton and other sporting activities. The event also demonstrated how collaboration between govt, educational institutions, sports associations and other stakeholders can create meaningful opportunities for children.

The organisers expressed their commitment to making badminton more accessible to school-going children and strengthening the sporting ecosystem at the grassroots level. The formal proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, dignitaries, sports officials, participating schools, students, coaches, volunteers and all those who contributed to the successful conduct of the championship.

The organisers expressed special gratitude to CEO Budgam Bashir Ahmad Ganaie, J&K Sports Council, J&K Badminton Association, participating schools and the entire District Budgam Badminton Association team for their support and encouragement. The organisers said the successful conclusion of the two-day championship would further strengthen their resolve to provide young students with more competitions, better training opportunities and a stronger platform to represent Budgam at district, divisional and state levels.

The championship concluded on a positive note, with educators, sports officials and school representatives stressing that every child should get the opportunity not only to learn in the classroom but also to build confidence, discipline and sports skills through participation in games.