Karnataka men claim the first National badminton title in nearly five decades

Karnataka and Haryana clinch men's and women's titles at 2024 Senior National Badminton Championship with impressive performances.

Karnataka and Haryana emerged the men’s and women’s team winners respectively at the 2024 Senior National Badminton Championship at the KBA courts here on Thursday.

The host produced a splendid performance to beat fancied Railways 3-1 for its first men’s title in nearly five decades. In fact, no one at the venue, including Anup Sridhar, one of Karnataka’s best players, could agree on when the previous victory was.

Karnataka Badminton Association later confirmed 1977 as the year and the body duly announced an additional cash prize of ₹6.5 lakh. For Haryana, remembrance was not a problem, for it was its maiden win. An additional bounty of ₹5.5 lakh made it sweeter.

Karnataka’s success came courtesy two outstanding results from S. Bhargav and the young doubles pairing of Nicholas Nathan Raj and Tushar Suveer.

Bhargav beat junior world championship bronze medallist Ayush Shetty over three games before Nicholas and Tushar outlasted K. Pruthvi Roy and K. Sai Pratheek, runners-up at the recent Syed Modi International. M. Raghu brought the title home with a 21-12, 21-10 rout of Siddharth Pratap Singh.

“We are extremely happy,” said Karnataka coach Jagdish Yadav. “Doubles was crucial. These two juniors [Nicholas and Tushar] know how to control fast shuttles. It is helpful in these Bangalore courts and that made the difference.”

Among women, Haryana pipped Gujarat 3-2. Tasnim Mir and Shreya Lele won two of the three singles matches for Gujarat, but Anmol Kharb won both her singles and doubles rubbers to help Haryana triumph.