The MIT Sports Club organised an inter-branch badminton tournament on 1st September in the MIT Recreation Centre. The Sports Club organisers and participants assembled at the centre, early morning, as the matches began at 6 AM. Since it was a one-day event, the finals were conducted that same evening.

There were a total of five categories—two men’s singles, one men’s doubles, one women’s singles, and one mixed doubles. After a selection round, the players were divided into eight teams based on their branches. While some teams had players from only one branch, other teams had branches clubbed together due to a lack of representation. It so happened that the mechanical team was left scrambling until the last minute to find a participant for their women’s team.

The eight teams were sorted into two pools, with each team competing against the other three teams of the same pool. The branch with the highest number of victories across all five categories proceeded to the next round, regardless of whether the players won or lost their respective matches.

The top four teams, two from each pool, that qualified for the semi-finals were—Aeronautical, ECE, Mechanical, and CSE. The finals took place between ECE and CSE. Both teams put up a fair fight in their final match, making it an enthralling game to watch. However, the calm demeanour and focused playing of the ECE team got them the first place. “I was the only fourth year on the team. The prospect of being the only fourth year in the finals kept me going. All in all, it was good, wholesome experience”, remarked Akshat Parwar, the captain of the CSE team.

Having conducted numerous matches with fair judgment, the Sports Committee delighted in the success of the event. All participants, irrespective of a win, took home an enjoyable experience of playing in the tournament.

Image Credits: The Photography Club, Manipal