Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Oct 26: For the first time in Karnataka, the Chief Minister’s Mangaluru India International Badminton Challenge 2025 will be held at the Urwa Indoor Stadium from October 27 to November 2, with preparations now in the final stage.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the prestigious international event on October 27. Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader, district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, and several dignitaries will participate in the ceremony. MLA Vedavyas Kamath will preside over the event.
The tournament is being organized by the Dakshina Kannada District Badminton Association under the guidance of the Badminton Association of India and the Karnataka Badminton Association. The district administration, led by deputy commissioner Darshan H V, has been overseeing preparations, while the district badminton association’s honorary president Santosh Kumar Shetty has been coordinating efforts to ensure the event’s smooth conduct.
A total of 450 players from 12 countries—including India, England, the UAE, Malaysia, Canada, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Singapore, Russia, and the USA—will take part in the week-long tournament. Among them, 350 players are from India and around 100 from abroad.
The chief referee for the tournament hails from the Maldives, and around 200 technical experts and officials from various countries will assist in conducting the matches.
International-level arrangements have been made for food, accommodation, and transportation of the participants. The state government has sanctioned a grant of Rs 1 crore, and the total expenditure for the event is estimated at Rs 2.5 crore.
As part of the BWF International Challenge, matches will be held simultaneously across eight courts—four on the upper floor and four on the ground floor—of the Urwa Indoor Stadium. The event has been classified as Grade 3, Level 1 under the BWF Continental Circuit, which also includes International Series (Level 2) and Future Series (Level 3) tournaments.
Hosting this international badminton tournament for the first time in the state is a moment of pride for Mangaluru. It is expected to significantly boost the city’s sports culture and promote tourism in the region.
“This is the first-ever international badminton event in Mangaluru. It is a proud moment for the city, and all necessary preparations have been completed,” said Santosh Kumar Shetty, honorary president of the Dakshina Kannada Badminton Association.