Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA) secretary K. Prabhakar Rao has been appointed observer for the 15th All India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament which kicks off in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Country's top junior shuttlers will be competing at the six-day event being organised by Karnataka Badminton Association.

Rao, a veteran badminton administrator, had left for Bangalore on Monday.

"I thank the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for nominating me as observer for a big tournament like this," said Rao, who has been involved in managing the game in both Jharkhand and Bihar for decades.

A former joint secretary of BAI, Rao boasts of an impressive CV. He was the observer for the All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament, Bangalore in 2013 and also for the senior national championship held in New Delhi in the same year.

He was appointed observer for the East Zone Badminton Championship in 2011. He has also served as manager of the Indian badminton outfit for the SAF Games in Bangladesh in 2010 and also the Singapore Open in 2009.

Rao, who keeps fit by playing regular badminton at the local Mohan Ahuja Stadium at Bistupur, was also a technical officer during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He was appointed manager of the Indian team for the Yonex Sunrise Malaysia Masters Grand Prix staged in Kuala Lumpur last year.