The grand opening ceremony of the Rajasthan Premier League (RPL) Ball Badminton Championship 2026, organized under the aegis of the Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association, was held at Chaugan Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday. The chief guest of the inaugural function was Virendra Poonia, Chief Sports Officer of the Rajasthan State Sports Council and recipient of the Dronacharya and Guru Vashisht awards.
The function was presided over by Sanjay Jaiswal, State General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (OBC Morcha). Special guests included Deepak Dandoriya, former State Minister; Devki Joshi, Sarpanch of Pallu; Dayanand Upadhyay, President of the Rajasthan Shootingball Association; Indraprakash Tikkiwal, Founder Member of the Korfball and Soft Tennis Association; and Islam Naqvi, President of the Rajasthan Softball Association.
The ceremony began with a spectacular march past by all the teams and the introduction of the players. Speaking on the occasion, Shaukat Ali Mansoori, Organizing Secretary of the Rajasthan Premier League and General Secretary of the Rajasthan Ball Badminton Association, stated that this event is not just a competition but the realization of a dream cherished for years.
Mansoori emphasized that there is no shortage of talent in Rajasthan; what is needed is the right platform, opportunity, and direction. The Rajasthan Premier League is the result of this vision, aiming not only to organize competitions but also to provide players with recognition, opportunities, and a bright future. He expressed gratitude to all district associations, officials, players, coaches, and collaborators, noting that this dream has come true through everyone's collective efforts.
He expressed confidence that the Rajasthan Premier League will write a new chapter in the history of ball badminton in the coming years, and that the state's players will bring glory to Rajasthan at national and international levels. Chief guest Virendra Poonia commended the association's efforts to provide a better platform for players.
In his presidential address, Sanjay Jaiswal congratulated the organizing committee and said that sports are a powerful medium for personality development among youth, and such events provide a new direction to the state's sports talent. At the end of the program, the organizing committee welcomed all guests and honored them with mementos. Shaukat Ali Mansoori, Laxmikant Sharma (Treasurer and Co-Organizing Secretary), and committee members Abbas, Ankit Naruka, Waheed, Zaheer, Gajendra Singh, and Tahir presented the honors.
The matches are being organized daily as per the scheduled program, and the tournament will conclude on June 18, 2026, with the final matches and prize distribution ceremony.
