Gopichand, Aparna get top billing

In the field for the men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles competitions, were players from Malaysia, Sri Lanka (men and women), India (men and women), Maldives and Bangladesh (men and women).

The other seedings in men’s singles were: Malaysia’s Lee Tsuen Seng, Abhin Shyam gupta (Ind), Yeoh Kay Bin (Malaysia), Nikhil Kanetkar, Srikan Bakshi, Ajit Wijetilak and Sachin Ratti (all India).

Behind the top seed Aparna Popat, the three other seeded players were Manjusha Kanwar, Ch. Deepti and Neelima Choudhary. Madumita Bisht and former national champion P V V Lakshmi and Manjusha Kanwar and Archana Deodhar were the only seeds in the women’s doubles event.

The Indian shuttlers were expected to dominate and earn IBA ranking points in the singles events. However, Malaysia’s Chang Chong Meng and Jeremy Gan can pose some challenge in the event.

While both the players were world junior doubles champions in 1996, Jeremy Gan was the Asian junior champion in 1997 and a runner-up in the prestigious Thomas Cup competition this year.