Asia's rising badminton power India swept all the titles at stake in the inaugural South Asia Regional Badminton Tournament hosted by Badminton Asia together with India Badminton Association and the Assam Badminton Association.
The tournament – made of mixed team plus individual events (men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles and the mixed doubles) was held at the Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium in Guwahati, Assam in scenic India.
Assam is situated in Northeast India.
Guwahati is the largest city in Assam which has a population of nearly 32 million.
Assam is also one of the best holiday destinations and one of the main attractions is the Kaziranga National Park where one can find the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros.
The first South Asia Regional tournament attracted teams from India (six players, one coach), Bangladesh (five players, one coach), Maldives (six players, one coach, two managers), Nepal (six players, one coach) and Bhutan (seven players, one coach).
India won the mixed team title with a 5-0 win over Nepal.
Bangladesh took third place.
In the individual events made a clean sweep after second seeds Arintap Dasgupta-G. Krishna Prasad upset Nepal's top seeds Dipesh Dhami-Nabin Shrestha in a three-game thriller 21-17, 18-21, 21-13 in the men's doubles final.
The men's singles was an all-India affair with top seed and favourite Aryaman Tandon lived up to his billing with a come-from-behind 19-21, 21-11, 21-11 win for the title.
There was also an upset in the women's singles when unseeded Ashmita Chaliha stunned number one seed Aakarshi Kashyap 21-16, 15-21, 21-14 in another all-India final.
India's Ashmita Chaliha- U.K. Mithula – the number two seeds – continued with India's fine run in the individual events with a stunning 21-10, 21-7 upset of favourites and top seeds Fathmath Nabaaha-Aminath Nabeeha of Maldives for the women's doubles title.
India completed a clean sweep with G. Krishna Prasad-U.K. Mithula, the number one seeds, coming off 21-8, 21-7 winners over Jumar Al Amin Amin-Urmi Akhter of Bangladesh in the mixed doubles.
The opening ceremony for the mixed team and individual events (Dec 4) at the Assam Badminton Academy was attended by India Badminton Association President Dr Himanta Biswas Sarma.
Badminton Asia was represented by its Development Officer Muhammad Andy Ardiansyah and Regional Development Officer Nikhil Chandra Dhar.
RESULTS
Mixed Team Final
India beat Nepal 5-0
(India First)
MS: Aryaman Tandon beat Dipesh Dhami 21-9, 21-15
WS: Ashmita Chaliha beat Rashila Maharjan 21-9, 21-6
MD: Arintap Dasgupta-Krishna Prasad beat Dipesh Dhami-Nabin Shrestha 19-21, 21-14, 21-11
WD: U.K. Mithula-Aakarshi Kashyap w/o Jessica Gurung-Sunayana Mukhiya
XD: Krishna Prasad-U.K. Mithula w/o Jessica Gurung-Gautam Kathayat
Individual Events
MS: Ayaman Tandon (IND) beat Arintap Dasgupta (IND) 19-21, 21-11, 21-14
WS: Ashmita Chaliha (IND) beat Aakarshi Kashyap (IND) 21-16, 15-21, 21-14
MD: Arintap Dasgupta-G. Krishna Prasad (IND) beat Dipesh Dhami-Nabin Shrestha (NEP) 21-17, 18-21, 21-13
WD: Ashmita Chaliha-U.K.Mithula (IND) beat Fathmath Nabaaha-Aminath Nabeeha (MAL) 21-10, 21-7
XD: G. Krishna Prasad-U.K. Mithula (IND) beat Jumar Al Amin Amin-Urmi Akhter (BAN) 21-8, 21-7
