Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa will host the Yonex Sunrise 48th Indian Masters National Badminton Championship from March 18 to 25, 2026, bringing together veteran badminton players from across the country for one of India’s largest masters level tournaments.
The main venue for the championship will be the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium in Navelim, while matches will also be held at the Multipurpose Stadium Fatorda in Margao. The tournament is supported by Raisoni Foundation and will feature several former national champions and international players who have represented India in global competitions.
A strong contingent of Goan players is expected to participate, including Dr. Satish Kudchadkar, Dr. Manju Khandeparkar, Pradeep Dhond, Tanaji Sawant, Sandip Kanji, Kamlesh Kanji, Parag Chauhan, Darwin Barreto, Navneet Nasnodkar, Parteek Mahajan, Dr. Sandeep Fowkar and Sandhya Melasheemi.
According to Manoj Patil, president of the Goa Badminton Association, the championship is expected to attract a large number of players and visitors, contributing to sports tourism in the state. He noted that the event aligns with the vision of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to promote Goa as a major destination for sporting events.
Event organising secretary Praveen Shenoy said the championship has received around 3,500 entries, featuring more than 2,000 players from over 30 states and union territories across 50 events. This makes it one of the largest Masters badminton tournaments held in the country.
The championship will be officiated by an experienced panel led by referee Vinod Kurangia from Gujarat, with deputy referees Aniruddha Joshi from Maharashtra and Habeeb Rehman from Kerala. The tournament’s match controller will be Pradeep Sawant, while Vinayak Kamat will serve as tournament director.
The event has been budgeted at approximately ₹60 lakh and includes a prize purse of ₹18 lakh, promising a week of competitive badminton and strong participation from across India.
