MONDAY, MAY 20, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The new executive committee of Goa Badminton Association took charge with Manoj Patil taking over as the president and Praveen Shenoy as the secretary during the annual general meeting held at Hotel Manoshanti conference hall, here, on Sunday.
The new committee has 12 new faces which includes former player Anushka Kuvelkar. It was revealed that there was general consensus resulting in the unanimous election of the new committee.
The new committee announced that they would felicitate Tanisha Crasto on her qualification to the Paris Olympics. The Goa Badminton Association announced that they would provide her with a cash Award of Rs 1 lakh. The incoming secretary Praveen, Joint Managing Director of Solas Marine Services Pvt Ltd, took the initiative to recognise her achievements by extending a cash award of Rs 3 lakh.
The committee announced it had plans to promote the sport in the State and to achieve this has prepared a GBA Vision Document 2024-32. This will include a comprehensive roadmap that includes the expansion of the game, cultivation of grassroots talent, the establishment of an academy, development of a professional league structure and elevation of Goa as a premier sporting destination for national and international events in line with the Sports and Tourism Policy of Government of Goa. It was revealed that industrialist, philanthropist and sports promoter Shrinivas Dempo has accepted the role of chief patron of the Goa Badminton Association for the term 2024-28.
The announcement of the launch of a professional office and player management system was made.
Praveen said, “The Government of Goa had instituted various cash awards and initiatives. For Olympic Qualification and participation, the cash award from the State government is Rs 10 lakh. For international gold, silver and bronze, it is Rs 1 lakh, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. However, it has been observed that players and parents face a lot of procedural hurdles to avail these awards and comply with all the documentation. In order to overcome these challenges, with effect from May 1, 2024, the Goa Badminton Association would be launching its own full-fledged office, with dedicated personnel to provide administrative as well as legal assistance to the players and officials to avail the Government of Goa’s incentives. Tanisha’s name was forwarded previously under the Scheme for International Excellence (Rs 30 lakh), and it would be pursued by the office.”
The association promised all the players as well as other officials such as coaches, managers, umpires and technical officials that they would provide all the administrative and professional support that is necessary to avail financial grants, not only through the government initiatives but also through CSR funds.
The association announced an increase in prize money in State ranking tournaments by 30 per cent and also proposed an All India Senior Ranking and India Masters Invitation tournaments and are awaiting BAI consent. The Indian Masters Nationals in March 2025 has been allocated to Goa. It was also revealed that the BAI had made a bid to host the BWF World Master Championship in India and were considering Goa as a probable venue.
