Dipjyoti, one of the youngest participants, returns serve during the inaugural match of the ranking badminton meet in Guwahati on Wednesday. Picture by Biju Boro

Guwahati, Aug. 18: The Guwahati Sports Association (GSA)’s Yonex Open all-Assam ranking badminton championship began today at the Kanaklata Indoor Hall here.

More than 200 shuttlers from across the state confirmed their participation in meet, which is the fifth of the Assam Badminton Association’s annual ranking tournaments, GSA badminton secretary Hemanta Singh said.

Inaugurating the tournament, former state shuttler Pradip Chaliha exhorted the youngsters to maintain the sporting spirit. He also called upon the senior players to pull up their socks to bring back the glorious days of Assam badminton in the national and international circuit.

The state badminton association’s secretary, Omar Rashid, GSA president Rana Goswami, representative of the sponsors, Amitabh Roy of Sports World, were among the other dignitaries at the inaugural ceremony. Bimal Phukan of Jorhat is the chief referee of the tournament.

Sponsors Yonex have provided 30 dozens of shuttles, while GSA member and former Assam Olympic Association secretary Munin Nabis has contributed Rs 10,000 in memory of his father.

First division football: Food Corporation of India (FCI) will meet Sports Authority of India (SAI) in the inaugural match of the Guwahati Sports Association’s Sekhar Goswami first division football league at Nehru Stadium tomorrow. The first division league was postponed by a day because of the Assam bandh.

The last match of super division league’s first leg between Gauhati Town Club and Maharana Athletic Club will also be held tomorrow.