Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Claim Junior National Badminton Team Titles
Karnataka’s boys and Tamil Nadu’s girls emerged as champions at the 49th Junior National Badminton Championships, each securing a decisive 2-0 victory in the team finals. The results crowned two new winners after defending champions Mizoram in the boys’ competition and Telangana in the girls’ event failed to qualify for the Inter-Zonal stage.
Karnataka defeated Assam to lift the boys’ title, while Tamil Nadu overcame Delhi, the previous edition’s runners-up, in the girls’ final. Both teams delivered under pressure, with singles victories providing momentum before doubles players completed the job.
Tamil Nadu girls finish strongly
Asian Under-17 girls’ singles champion Diksha SR gave Tamil Nadu an ideal start in the final, defeating Rishika Nandi 15-12, 15-12. The straight-games win put the team within reach of the championship and placed the responsibility on the doubles pair to secure the decisive point.
Ananya Arun and Anjana Manikandan then produced a composed performance against Nandi and Ishita Negi. After dropping the second game, the Tamil Nadu pair responded in the decider to win 16-14, 12-15, 15-10. Their victory sealed a 2-0 result and capped a strong team showing against Delhi.
Karnataka’s boys take the crown
In the boys’ final, Hardik Divyansh defeated Bornil Changmai, the 2023 Asian Under-15 champion, to put Karnataka ahead. Pavan and Punith Suresh then secured the title with a three-game doubles win over Changmai and Aanayan Borah, prevailing 9-15, 15-10, 15-7.
The championship underlined the depth of junior badminton talent across India, with state teams relying on both individual skill and effective doubles partnerships. For the winners, the team format offered a chance to combine emerging singles prospects with players capable of handling high-pressure doubles contests.
Close Finishes and Late Moves Mark National Car Racing Championship
Round two of the CTR-JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship opened with a day of tight margins, late overtakes and dramatic recoveries. Augustine Boby edged Shatveer Shetty by just 0.032 seconds in the F1300 Novice Cup, one of the closest finishes of the meeting.
Mehul Agarwal also left it late in LGB Formula 4, overtaking teammate Arya Singh to win by 0.237 seconds. In the second Indian Junior Touring Cars race, Deepak Ravikumar delivered one of the day’s most impressive drives. After stalling early and falling to 15th, he fought back through the field to take victory by 0.308 seconds. Srinivas Teja had won the category’s opening race.
Victories across the field
Bengaluru’s Anish Shetty won the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup Pro race, while Kabir Sahoch of Vadodara continued his winning run in the amateur class. His race was interrupted by two red flags, adding further uncertainty to an already eventful contest at Kari Motor Speedway.
Mumbai’s Pratik Sonawane completed a double in the gentleman class of the JK Tyre Levitas Cup. Arjun Narendran won in Indian Super Touring Cars, Balaprasath A triumphed in Indian Touring Cars and Diljith T S also recorded two victories in Super Stock.
The Continental GT Cup amateur race supplied another late twist. A last-lap collision involving Paramjeet Singh and Pushpendra Kumar Markandey opened the door for Brandon Dsouza, who climbed from ninth on the grid to finish third. The meeting’s final day was scheduled to bring the second round to a close.
Telangana to Host Khelo India Youth Games 2026 Across Six Cities
The eighth Khelo India Youth Games will be staged across six Telangana cities from December 11 to 22, 2026. Hyderabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Hanumakonda, Mahabubnagar and Nizamabad are set to host events, with organisers expecting around 8,000 athletes to take part.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy unveiled the event’s logo and mascot. The Games will feature 29 sports, including two demonstration events: sailing and karra samu. Softball will make its debut as a competitive discipline, adding a new event to the programme.
Mandaviya said the Khelo India initiative is intended to encourage wider participation among young people. Alongside the Youth Games, the programme includes beach, winter and tribal competitions. Hosting events across several cities could also bring the competition to communities beyond the state capital and give more local audiences the chance to experience a major multi-sport event.
Young Chess Players Shine at Maharashtra State Schools Championship
Veer Dhaval Shah and AIM Hriday Maniar completed perfect campaigns at the Maharashtra State Schools Chess Championship 2026, winning all seven of their games. The three-day tournament, organised by Indian Chess School at Rustomjee Cambridge International School in Dahisar West, attracted 387 players across six FIDE-rated categories for Under-9, Under-13 and Under-17 competitors.
Perfect scores and close tie-breaks
Veer Dhaval Shah of Jamnabai Narsee School won the Under-9 Open title with seven points from seven rounds. Ivaan Dubey finished second with six points, while Aarav Ravi Jhavar, also on six, placed third. The Under-9 Girls section was decided by tie-break after three players finished on six points. Lavanya Singh took first, ahead of Ishi Singh and Nikita Sandeep.
In Under-13 Open, Vihaan Anupam Agrawal scored six points to claim the title on tie-break over top seed Nirvaan Nirav Shah, who finished second on the same score. Tisyaa Apurva Patt won the Under-13 Girls event with six points, while Pranitha Bhava placed second on 5.5.
Top seed Hriday Maniar dominated the Under-17 Open category, finishing with a perfect seven points. Shaurya Ashish Modi and Soham Sudarshan Sahamate tied on 5.5 points for second and third. Drishya Naik won the Under-17 Girls title with 6.5 points, finishing 1.5 points ahead of her nearest challengers.
The championship also served as Maharashtra’s selection tournament for the National Schools Chess Championship, scheduled for Ahmedabad from December 16 to 20, 2026. The top two finishers in each category earned the opportunity to represent the state, giving the event significance beyond its local titles. For the young competitors, the result offers both recognition and a pathway to test their skills against leading school players from across India.
