FCT Badminton Board, Indian Embassy collaborate to promote game in Abuja

The FCT Badminton Board, led by its chairman, Comptroller Usman Bappa (Rtd), has sought collaboration with the Indian Embassy and community to strengthen the game in the nation’s capital.

Bappa made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the Embassy on Wednesday and was hosted by the Head of Chancery, Mr Pramod Kumar Agrawal.

Bappa, while briefing his host of the board’s plan to organise a competition for out-of-school and in-school indigent children in the nation’s capital, said he has noticed not just the Ambassador’s and the Embassy’s interest in badminton but the whole Indian community in the FCT hence the decision to seek the envoy’s collaboration to promote the game.

“We want to appreciate you for receiving us today. We are here to express our desire to collaborate with you, knowing full well, that we have been observing your active participation in Badminton, not just the Indian Embassy, but also the Indian community in the FCT.

“This is not far from the fact that, the beautiful game of Badminton has its root traced to Ancient Greek, China and India,” he said.

The badminton boss also briefed Mr Agrawal on the Area Councils Badminton Cup named after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

“We are currently putting finishing touches to an event and project so dear to our hearts, it is called the Asian Badminton Cup where other Asian communities will be involved, and not just the Indians alone. The competition is to honour the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike and the Indian community will prominently be part of it.”

Bappa also informed the envoy of his board’s efforts to equip more than 45 clubs in the FCT and give players and officials periodic trainings. He, however, made an appeal for equipment which are expensive due the prevailing economic hardship for the players to afford.

The Head of Chancery, in his remarks, promised to support the FCT Badminton Board in the best possible way to see that the growth of badminton is achieved.

He commended the initiative to include Indian and other Asian communities in competitions as it will help in the growth and participation of Badminton in the FCT.