Harpal Singh Bedi/ New Delhi
Delhi Badminton League (DBL), an initiative of RDG Global Sports to promote sport of badminton in national capital is set to debut in its first season from 25th to 28th January in Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi.
Total 144 players of different age categories including senior, junior and sub – junior will compete against each other in respective category as part of 8 team franchisees. Total prize money will be 30 lac. Winner team will get 14 lac and runner up team will get 8 lac.
Explaining the objective and main features, Saurabh Mishra, Director of DBL said, “The objective of DBL is to promote the sports of badminton in Delhi by giving multiple opportunities to play in a single league to each and every one irrespective of the fact whether they are professional or non- professional.
This is the first league, probably in the world where senior, junior and sub-junior players will play on a single platform. Despite having great infrastructure, Delhi has not emerged as a hub of badminton like Hyderabad. What sets this league apart from others is that there is no age limitation in DBL and participants of the league have been selected through 4 qualification tournaments. So we can say that in reality, we are trying to realize the goal of “Khelo India’ envisaged by the central government.”
He told that total prize money will be 30 Lac. Winner team will get 14 lac and runner up team will get 8 lac.
These players, representing different parts of Delhi, had qualified for DBL through 4 qualification legs during the period from October to December, 2019. The qualifying legs witnessed very enthusiastic response from not just people of badminton fraternity but from people are general during these qualification legs. Many players of this league have represented India and both players and their parents are exciting about this initiative.