Mapusa, July 20, 2025: In a remarkable display of grit and talent, 9-year-old Amaira Dhumatker emerged as one of the brightest stars at the All Goa State Major Badminton Ranking Tournament 2025, held from July 18–20 at Peddem, Mapusa. Organized by Mapusa Shuttlers in association with the Goa Badminton Association (GBA), the tournament saw top young talent from across Goa compete for state-level glory.
Amaira stood out as she clinched the Gold Medal in Under-13 Girls Doubles and followed it up with a Silver in Under-13 Girls Singles — a remarkable achievement for someone competing against older, higher-ranked players.
Her performance is a testament to the growing culture of sports excellence in Goa and serves as an inspiration for young athletes across the state. Amaira’s journey reflects dedication, training, and an unwavering passion for the sport.
As she continues to grow and take on greater challenges, all eyes will be on this young prodigy. Goa celebrates her success and looks forward to her future triumphs on bigger stages.
Lone Goan victor lights up opening day with gutsy three-set thriller in Boys U17 singles
Mapusa, Goa | June 20, 2025 — Goa had its moment of glory on the opening day of the main draw at the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior (U-15 & U-17) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2025, thanks to a nerve-wracking victory by Aarush Pawaskar. In a highly competitive Boys Singles U17 Round of 64 clash at the Multipurpose Stadium, Peddem, the young Goan talent held his ground and delivered a stellar performance that had the local crowd on its feet.
Aarush outlasted Andhra Pradesh’s Manku Taku in a gripping three-set battle: 21-14, 9-21, 21-19, showcasing not just skill but remarkable composure under pressure. With this victory, he emerged as the only Goan player to progress on a day otherwise dominated by higher-seeded national contenders and visiting states.
🎯 A Lone Win Amid Spirited Battles
While Aarush’s triumph gave Goa a reason to cheer, the day proved tough for other local participants, many of whom bowed out despite brave performances.
In Boys Singles U17,
Advait Balakrishnan was defeated by Yash Soni (Rajasthan) 15-21, 10-21.
In Girls Singles U17,
Yashila Ritika Chelluri lost to Ketaki Thite (Maharashtra).
Shivanjali Thite was overcome by Ridhima Saini (Chhattisgarh).
In Boys Doubles U15,
Shaan Cherkala Kunjutty & Mohammed Umar Shaikh went down 12-21, 13-21 to Vihaan Kolhade & Hridaan Padve (Maharashtra).
Sparsh Kolwalkar & Arnav Saraf narrowly missed an upset, losing 18-21, 21-12, 20-22 in a thriller.
In Mixed Doubles U15,
Arnav Saraf & Niharika Parwar fought valiantly but lost 18-21, 21-19, 16-21 to Edward Adrien & Supreetha Deepak (Karnataka).
In Girls Doubles U15,
Dimple Revankar (Goa) & Tanishka Ganji (Telangana), fresh from a strong qualifying run, were ousted by Vijaya Tejashwini Dantuluri (AP) & Joel Rana (Haryana) 12-21, 17-21.
🏅 National Seeds Show Their Strength
The day also saw top seeds across age groups dominate with confident wins:
Pushkar Sai (Karnataka), Boys Singles U15 top seed, beat Avish Mehta (Delhi) 21-19, 21-5.
Shaina Manimuthu, Girls Singles U15 top seed, cruised past Smriti S. 21-8, 21-13.
Avni Vikram Govind (Telangana), third seed, survived a scare before winning 17-21, 22-20, 21-13 over Anvi Patel (Gujarat).
In Boys U17, top seed Dev Ruparelia (Maharashtra) and third seed Akhil Reddy Bobba (Telangana) advanced without trouble.
🔥 All Eyes on Aarush
With the tournament heating up, Goan hopes now rest squarely on Aarush Pawaskar, who has shown he has both the game and the mindset to compete against the best in the country. His performance reflects not just personal growth, but the promise of a rising badminton culture in Goa.
“This win means a lot. I stayed focused, even when I lost the second game. I knew if I believed in my shots and didn’t panic, I could pull through,” Aarush said post-match, beaming with the calm confidence of a player far beyond his years.
