Nagpur: Adding another feather to Nagpur’s badminton credentials, city shuttlers Nehal Gosavi and Ajinkya Patharkar have earned places in the Maharashtra squad for the Yonex-Sunrise 79th Inter-State-Inter-Zonal and 88th Senior National Badminton Championships 2026, to be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from December 17 to 24.
Nehal has been selected for the women’s doubles event, where she will team up with Anagha Karandikar of Thane. Ajinkya will represent Maharashtra in men’s doubles alongside Ian Lopes of Palghar.
The duo’s selection is the culmination of consistent performances in the Maharashtra State Selection tournaments conducted at Chandrapur and Nanded, followed by the Senior State Badminton Championship at Satara. Their impressive showing at the West Zone Inter-State Badminton Championships 2026 in Chhattisgarh, where both were members of the Maharashtra contingent, further strengthened their claims for national selection.
Maharashtra emerged as the dominant force at the West Zone championships, with both its boys’ and girls’ teams capturing gold medals. The double triumph also reinforced the State’s qualification prospects for the forthcoming Inter-State, Inter-Zonal and Senior National Championships.
Kundatai Vijaykar, President of the Nagpur District Badminton Association (NDBA), Mangesh Kashikar, Senior Vice-President of the Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) and Secretary of NDBA, along with other office-bearers, congratulated both shuttlers and wished them success at the national championships.
