Jaipur: The grand opening ceremony of Rajasthan Premier League (RPL) Ball Badminton Championship 2026, organised under the aegis of Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association, was held here at Chaugan Stadium on Tuesday.The chief guest of the inaugural function was Virendra Poonia, chief sports officer, Rajasthan State Sports Council (awarded Dronacharya and Guru Vashisht awards).The function was presided over by Sanjay Jaiswal, State General Secretary, Bharatiya Janata Party (OBC Morcha). Present as special guests were Deepak Dandoriya, former State Minister, Devki Joshi, Sarpanch Pallu, Dayanand Upadhyay, President, Rajasthan Shootingball Association, Indraprakash Tikkiwal, Founder Member, Korfball and Soft Tennis Association and Islam Naqvi, President, Rajasthan Softball Association.The ceremony began with a spectacular march past by all the teams and the introduction of the players.Speaking on the occasion, Shaukat Ali Mansoori, Organizing Secretary of the Rajasthan Premier League and General Secretary of the Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association, stated that this event is not just a competition, but the realisation of a dream cherished for years.Mansoori stated that there is no shortage of talent in Rajasthan; all that is needed is the right platform, the right opportunity, and the right direction.The Rajasthan Premier League is the result of this vision, whose aim is not just to organize competitions, but to provide players with recognition, opportunities, and a bright future.In his address, he expressed gratitude to all the district associations, officials, players, coaches, and collaborators, stating that this dream has come true today through everyone’s collective efforts.He expressed confidence that the Rajasthan Premier League will write a new chapter in the history of ball badminton in the coming years, and that the state’s players will bring glory to Rajasthan at the national and international levels.Chief guest Virendra Poonia said in his address that the Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association’s efforts to provide a better platform for players are highly commendable.In his presidential address, Sanjay Jaiswal congratulated the organizing committee and said that sports are a powerful medium for personality development for youth, and such events provide a new direction to the state’s sports talent.At the end of the program, the organizing committee welcomed all the guests and honored them with mementos. On this occasion, Shaukat Ali Mansoori, Organizing Secretary of the Rajasthan Premier League and General Secretary of the Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association, Laxmikant Sharma, Treasurer and Co-Organizing Secretary of the Association, and organizing committee members Abbas, Ankit Naruka, Waheed, Zaheer, Gajendra Singh, and Tahir welcomed the guests and honored them with mementos.The matches of the tournament are being organised daily as per the scheduled programme and the tournament will conclude on June 18, 2026 with the final matches and prize distribution ceremony.
