SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Dec 19: The State grade-2 badminton umpire Barun Kumar of Seraikela-Kharsawan has been selected for the All India Badminton Federation (AIBF) match control examination which is likely to be held at Bhubaneswar (Odisha) from December 23.
One umpire from each state has been selected for the match control examination. Jharkhand Badminton Association has sent Barun Kumar to appear in the match control examination that is like to be held during the All India National Badminton Championship of under-19 and other age groups.
Barun Kumar, who has officiated several state and national rank badminton championships and tournaments in the state is considered one of the promising national-grade umpires. If he qualifies in the match control examination, he would get national grade status.
Apart from Barun Kumar, other six state badminton umpires of Jharkhand were invited to participate in the Technical Official Conclave (TOC) organized by the All India Badminton Federation (AIBF) at Bhubaneswar from December 15 to December 18.
The state grade-2 umpires who attended the Conclave were Avinash Kumar Tiwary (Ranchi), Alok Singh (Ramgarh), Madhurendra Kumar (Dhanbad), Anurag Kumar (Dumka), Wasim Akram (Ranchi) and Amit Modak.
A total of 150 badminton umpires from different states were invited to this special technical official conclave of AIBF.
Moreover, AIBF Joint secretary cum chairman Paralympic Badminton of India K Prabhakar Rao, TOC chairman Murlidharan, World Badminton Federation chairman Girish Natu and umpires also addressed the four-day conclave.
General Secretary of Jharkhand Badminton Association, K Prabhakar Rao said that he would hold a similar technical official conclave in the state for promoting and enhancing technical knowledge of badminton umpires next year.
