Nagpur: Arun Lakhani of Nagpur was re-elected president of the Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) at its 84th annual general meeting held in Nagpur. Mangesh Kashikar was elected senior vice-president, while Jagdish Joshi was elected honorary treasurer. Nagpur’s Sneha Faizpurkar was elected to the executive committee.The meeting outlined several initiatives aimed at strengthening badminton administration, competition and player development across Maharashtra.The MBA has increased the number of tournaments in each age category from two to three annually. The revised calendar will comprise two selection tournaments and one championship, with higher ranking points for the championship to encourage participation. Around 14-15 tournaments are planned during the year.The association has launched a new website enabling players to submit entries and make fee payments for district, state and All India tournaments online. Android and iOS applications have also been developed.To improve transparency, a live draw system has been introduced, with draws conducted in the presence of players and parents a day before tournaments and streamed on the MBA’s official YouTube channel. The new ranking system is updated within 48 hours of a tournament’s completion. A roster-based system has also been introduced for appointing tournament officials.The association plans to focus on grassroots coaching, regional umpire training, referee examinations and coaching camps for Under-15 and Under-17 players.Former international player Vijay Kashikar, Election Officer and Chief Justice Vaibhav Chaudhari, Bapu Deshmukh and Kaustubh Dhupe were felicitated.
