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Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai, hosted a dinner for the Indian badminton team ahead of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship, slated to be held in Dubai from February 14 to February 19.
The dinner held at the Consul General’s Residence offered a warm welcome and great motivation to the Indian badminton team that arrived in the city a day before this special event.
A former badminton player, Puri represented the Chandigarh badminton team in India.
“Badminton is a very tough sport. Only those who are exceptionally skilled, agile and focussed can make it to the national team. The hope of billions of Indians resides in you, and I wish each one of you the very best for this championship. I am sure the Indian diaspora here is excited to cheer for you,” Puri said.
The event was attended by some of the biggest names like two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, Thomas Cup winners HS Pranoy and Lakshya Sen among others.
“We truly feel at home. Thank you, Dr. Aman Puri for giving us such a warm welcome. Thanks to the Indian community for the support and motivation. We are a strong team and capable of beating the top teams to make our way ahead,” Sindhu said.
The Indian community in the UAE is huge, constituting roughly 30 percentage of the country's population. The arrival of the Indian contingent for the championship has sparked a wave of excitement among the Indian expat community.
“It is for the first time that the Indian badminton team has come to Dubai to play at the prestigious Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship. Truly thankful to H.E. Dr. Aman Puri for his warm gesture. This will certainly play a significant role in boosting the morale of our Indian players,” said Dr. Sathya Menon, CEO of Beyond Boundaries Sports Management Consultancy, the local organizer of the Championship.
This is the third edition of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship and India have been drawn in Group B along with Malaysia, UAE, and Kazakhstan. Day 1 of the event will see India facing Kazakhstan.
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