Patwardhan for world badminton

MUMBAI, May 20: Mumbai's Vikrant Patwardhan will aspire for top international honours at the World badminton championships now in progress ...

MUMBAI, May 20: Mumbai’s Vikrant Patwardhan will aspire for top international honours at the World badminton championships now in progress in Glasgow, Scotland.

Patwardhan, who turns 21 ON Wednesday, was selected to a 10-member Indian squad playing in the Championships and the Sudirman Cup to be held immediately later in the same city. A gold medallist at the SAARC Games held last February in Colombo, Patwardhan has also been a National under-22 doubles champion at Jamshedpur in 1996.

Employed with Mumbai Customs, Patwardhan, is part of a four-member men’s team that includes P Gopichand, Vijaydeep Singh and Jaseel Ismail. The women’s team includes Madhumita Bisht, Manjusha Pawangadkar, Archana Deohar and PVV Laxmi. SM Arif is the coach and Tali Jamir, manager.

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Patwardhan has been an active player on the junior international circuit having tasted action at the first official junior world championships in Jakarta 1992. Earlier this year he represented India in the World Grand Prix in New Delhi before claiming gold at the SAARC Championships.

Patwardhan, selected to the State team for the forthcoming National Games, was also a member of the victorious men’s team champions at the Senior Nationals in Pune in Jan 97. The former student of Ruia College also helped the Maharashtra junior team claim the Junior national title in Vijayawada in 1992.