Nagpur shuttlers Malvika, Rohan, Sudhanshu to compete in Khelo India School Games
February 5, 2018
NAGPUR: Malvika Bansod, Rohan Gurbani and Sudhanshu Bhure will compete in the inaugural badminton competition of the Khelo India School Games (KISG) at the India Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from February 5 to 8.
City’s rising star Malvika has been awarded the top seeding in the U-17 girls singles draw. The 16-year-old southpaw has had a great run-up to the KISG by winning a maiden All India Senior Ranking Badminton tournament in Bareilly last month where she surprised her senior practice partner Vaishnavi Bhale in the final.
Before leaving for the national Capital on Sunday, Malvika seemed determined to put up a good show in the first KISG tournament.
“I have great expectations from Khelo India. It is a good opportunity and quite a big event. It feels positive to be the top seed and shows that you’ve been selected as the best and that you have to deliver. It is indeed a big boost and I know I have to perform well,” said Malvika, a Standard XI student of Shivaji Science College.
Besides Malvika, Rohan Gurbani and Sudhanshu Bhure were also selected for the meet on the basis of their current Badminton Association of India rankings.
In the U-17 boys singles, Rohan, a Standard IX student of Centre Point School, Katol Road, will be eighth seed. Sudhanshu, a Standard X student of the same school, will hope to impress the national selectors in the KISF meet, which will get underway on Monday.
Another promising city shuttler Ritika Thaker was also selected in the U-17 girls doubles category but she had to withdraw as her partner Simran Singhi (Mumbai) is injured.
