"We dream of sending Sikkimese players to the olympics in badminton", says Jacob Khaling

The President of the Badminton Association of Sikkim (BAS), Jacob Khaling, addressed the media with a powerful message and a clear vision: to bring grassroots-level badminton talent into the limelight and guide them towards national and international platforms, including the Olympics.

 

Speaking at a press conference in Gangtok and joined by General Secretary Sukanta Das, Vice President Thendhup Bhutia and Publicity Secretary Tsheering Sherpa, Khaling said, “Badminton is growing rapidly across the world, and India’s performance at global tournaments has made every Indian proud. In Sikkim too, children are showing growing interest in sports  especially in badminton and it is our responsibility to channel that energy.”

 

To tap into this budding talent, the Badminton Association of Sikkim has announced the First Sikkim State Inter-School Badminton Championship 2025, the first-ever event of its kind in the state. The event will span all six districts and will feature two main categories: the Under-17 Team Championship (Boys and Girls) and the Under-19 Individual Events. The team event format will include three singles and two doubles matches, while the individual category will allow talented players to compete even if their schools don’t qualify as a team.

 

Khaling said, “This championship is only the beginning. Our long-term goal is to select talented kids from this event and enroll them in structured coaching programmes near their home districts, starting from the next academic year (2026), with the support of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, our chief patron.”

 

He added that the selected children will also benefit from further coaching support, cash prizes, and tournament exposure to help cover financial burdens. “We do not want any talent to go unnoticed just because of money problems. If you know a child with potential, just send them to us. We will take care of everything,” he said.

 

Highlighting the future roadmap, Khaling said that plans are underway to launch a Badminton Academy in Sikkim, providing structured, long-term development. The association also aims to send children for short-term and long-term coaching camps, including to premier institutions across India. “Some of our players are even receiving world-class vocal training in Mumbai,” he added with pride.

 

Taking the discussion forward, General Secretary Sukanta Das laid out the detailed Annual Calendar of Events. He said, “From July, we are starting with four major ranking tournaments. These will include categories like Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19, as well as Senior Men’s and Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles.”

 

In August, the 34th Sikkim State Badminton Championship will be held, followed by the much-awaited second edition of the Sikkim Premier Badminton League, tentatively scheduled for September–October. The association is also preparing to send a team for the North East Zonal Inter-State Badminton Championship to be held in Tripura, which is organized once every eight years.

 

“We will also participate in all national-level tournaments as per the Badminton Association of India calendar, including the Mini, Sub-Junior, Junior, Senior, and Veterans Nationals,” Das added. He further explained that Summer and Winter Coaching Camps will continue as part of the talent grooming efforts, and technical staff will undergo training to stay updated with the latest global standards.

 

To add more detail to the tournament rollout, Vice President Thendhup Bhutia elaborated on the technical structure of the Inter-School Championship. “The district-level matches will take place on 12th and 13th July across all six districts. The winners and runners-up will proceed to the state-level event on 3rd and 4th August,” he informed.

 

A key highlight this year is that schools will be directly involved in the tournament, making this initiative unique. “Earlier, most events were for individual players and clubs, but this time schools themselves will send teams. This will make a huge difference in participation,” Bhutia emphasized.

 

He further said that while the Under-17 team championship will focus on group performance, the Under-19 singles event will give space for individual talents to shine even if their school teams do not qualify. He added that BAS has plans to conduct separate ranking events for Men’s and Women’s categories in Pakyong, providing wider platforms for recognition.

 

“These rankings matter because players who reach the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals in these tournaments will be awarded points. These points will decide their state ranking and future selections,” said Bhutia. “We are building a full structure for the long term. This isn’t just about one tournament;  it’s about creating a pipeline of badminton players who can represent Sikkim and India in the future.”

 

Jacob Khaling appealed to the people and said, “Please send your children to us if they have interest or talent in badminton. Even if you cannot afford coaching, we will support them. We believe, just like Sikkimese players reached the Olympics in archery, we will also see our badminton players on the Olympic stage someday.”