The PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship (JBC) – Season 5 is a national open badminton tournament that aims to promote the sport among young enthusiasts. The tournament is being held across 10 cities in India, with Pune being the third city to host the event. The tournament was inaugurated by Mangesh Kashikar, Secretary Events- Maharashtra Badminton Association, Nikhil Kanitkar, Former Olympic Player, Girish Natu, Technical Director- Badminton Association of India, and Ranjit Natu, Hon Secretary, Pune Badminton Association.
Over 1,200 young shuttlers from Pune have registered to participate in the tournament, which will feature matches in four age categories: Under-9, 11, 13, 15, and 17 for both boys and girls. The top two players from each category will proceed to the national finale in New Delhi, where they will have the chance to be felicitated with the National Title by P.V. Sindhu, the Olympic medallist and brand ambassador of PNB MetLife.
In addition to the tournament, PNB MetLife has launched the JBC Boot Camp, a customized YouTube channel that features sessions from stalwarts like P.V. Sindhu, U. Vimal Kumar, Vijay Lancy, and Anup Sridhar. The boot camp aims to provide budding badminton enthusiasts with tutorials and tips on techniques, mental ability, fitness, and nutrition.
PNB MetLife has partnered with CRY (Child Rights and You) as a CSR partner, with the aim of creating a sustainable social impact. As part of its CSR initiative, the company has provided annual scholarships to underprivileged children across India for coaching and training. This year, 100 underprivileged children have been trained for the JBC – Season 5, and 32 children will be awarded an annual scholarship to pursue badminton as a sport.
The tournament schedule includes events in Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Kochi, Bangalore, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and New Delhi, with the grand finale taking place in New Delhi on September 9-10, 2019. Nipun Kaushal, Chief Marketing Officer, PNB MetLife, stated that the company aims to take the tournament to the next level and create a deeper impact on aspiring shuttlers. With the launch of the JBC Boot Camp, PNB MetLife is providing a platform for young badminton enthusiasts to learn from the best and pursue their passion for the sport.