Basavangudi gets all-new badminton courts

The Mahila Seva Samaja School in Basavangudi opened its brand new state-of-the-art badminton courts to the public on 15 February. The famous badminton player Prakash Padukone inaugurated the facility.

Previously the school housed one single badminton court in its old auditorium, which was demolished to build two new courts in the sports and cultural complex of the school Members of the Mahila Seva Samaja, the school children and other ladies in the vicinity of the school have been utilising the facility as members since its inception in 1959. Of the two new courts, one is reserved for coaching and the other is for member use.

The inauguration was held in the new auditorium, and was packed with enthusiastic kids and faculty. Padukone, based in Bangalore, won several state, national and international level titles during his professional career, and after retiring in 1991 he went on to become the Chairman of the Badminton Association of India. He has also coached the Indian National Badminton Team in 1993 and 1996. On October 1994, he launched the prestigious Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore with like-minded badminton laureates Vimal Kumar and Vivek Kumar.

Padukone handed out certificates and prize money to students who represented the school in state and national level competitions and won in the presence of their classmates. Certificates were distributed for events like swimming, volleyball, tennis, shuttle and ball badminton with prize money varying from Rs.500 for National level competitions and Rs 300 for State level competitions.

Some of the students awarded were Karthik R for National level ball badminton, Suraj R N for National level Shuttle, Savitha R N for State level swimming, Ayush Udaya for State level Volleyball and many more.

The Award ceremony was accompanied with the sounds of lively cheering and clapping by their classmates and friends. Padukone, the High School Principal Usha Rao, members of the faculty and the students looked on while some of the children performed. The children changed into costumes and performed dances and yoga for the function; one hit in particular being the song "Chak de" from the movie Chak De India.

The present badminton courts are open to the public - children, women and boys under the age of 16. The membership fees are priced at a one-time payment of Rs 10,000 or monthly fees of Rs 250. There will be a professional coach to teach badminton for those who are interested.

The Mahila Seva Samaja School Campus is located on K R road in Basavanagudi and the badminton court opens on to the Pampamahakavi Road.

(You can find the original link to the article here)