Sridhar Babu Unanimously Elected as President of Telangana Badminton Association

Hyderabad: Minister for IT and Industries Duddilla Sridhar Babu has been unanimously elected as the President of the Telangana Badminton Association.

The election results were officially announced on Friday by Pullela Gopichand, Vice President of the Badminton Association of India. Following the announcement, Minister Sridhar Babu was honoured with a grand felicitation at the Secretariat.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Sridhar Babu emphasised Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s vision of transforming Telangana into a hub for sports. Drawing inspiration from a small sports university in South Korea, whose students bagged 37 medals at the recent Paris Olympics, the Minister revealed plans to establish a dedicated sports university in Telangana.

“We aim to integrate academics and sports, shaping well-rounded personalities while nurturing talent. Our government is designing a comprehensive sports policy in collaboration with educationists and renowned athletes. The ultimate goal is to elevate Telangana athletes to international acclaim,” he stated.

The Minister further highlighted the untapped potential in rural Telangana. “We will take measures to bring talented athletes from rural areas into the spotlight. Plans are underway to establish sports hubs and extension centers of the sports university in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. Additionally, we are developing infrastructure in government schools to match the standards of private institutions, ensuring equitable access to academics and sports facilities. The government is committed to fostering inclusive growth, eliminating disparities between the rich and the poor," he said.

Sridhar Babu also announced reforms in granting permissions for new schools, mandating playgrounds as a prerequisite. “Collaboration is the key to developing sports. The government is ready to provide all necessary support to athletes. We will work alongside the Olympic Association, sports academies, and other organisations to achieve our goals," the Minister disclosed.

National Badminton Chief Coach and Vice President of the Badminton Association of India, Pullela Gopichand, lauded the State government's efforts. “The development of sports is possible only with government support, and the initiatives under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's leadership are commendable. Establishing a sports university and implementing a robust sports policy are indeed transformative steps," he said.

Gopichand also announced that the All-India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament (Under-19) are being held from January 3 to10 at the Gopichand Academy in Gachibowli.