Lakshay Sharma, a 20-year-old shuttler from Ludhiana, secured two gold medals at the All India Inter-Institutional Badminton Team and Individual Championship held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Representing the Airports Authority of India (AAI), he emerged champion in both the team and men's singles events.
Tournament Details and Participation
The championship was organized by the AAI under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India. It featured top institutional teams, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Food Corporation of India (FCI), Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Post, and the AAI. Several internationally ranked Indian shuttlers also participated.
AAI Dominates Team Event
AAI dominated the team competition, defeating RBI 3-0 in the final. Earlier, they beat India Post 3-0 in the semifinals and ESIC 3-0 in the quarterfinals to lift the trophy.
Lakshay's Singles Campaign
Lakshay then won the men's singles title, defeating teammate Laksh Chengappa in the final. The match ended 17-21, 21-19, 5-2 after Chengappa retired due to injury. In the semifinals, Lakshay outclassed Amit Sharma (India Post) 21-13, 21-16, and in the quarterfinals, he defeated Sidharth Khakar (LIC) 21-11, 21-16.
Berth in National Championship
These medals earned Lakshay a spot in the national championship scheduled for December, where he will represent AAI in both team and individual events.
Training and Background
A final-year BA student at Chandigarh University, Lakshay trains under his father, Mangat Rai Sharma, a Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS)-qualified national badminton coach. This achievement establishes him as one of the state's most promising young badminton talents.
