Smash Hit: Konkan Yuva Celebrates Thrilling Badminton Season 5
Dubai, UAE: Konkan Yuva, the dynamic youth wing of the Konkani Community of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Dubai, proudly hosted its much-anticipated Badminton Tournament Season 5 on Sunday, June 22, 2025. The high-octane event brought together a diverse array of badminton enthusiasts from across the UAE, culminating in a day of exceptional sportsmanship and thrilling competition.
Held at the state-of-the-art Nibras International School in Green Community Village, DIP 1, Dubai, the tournament commenced promptly at 8:00 AM with a welcome by the joint secretary, Jovita Rebello, and followed by a solemn prayer led by Spiritual Secretary Sushmitha Sequeira. Staying true to their roots, Konkan Yuva honored the day by playing the parish anthem, and the agenda for the tournament was announced to all participants. The morning then saw intense matches in the Men’s and Women’s categories.
The Inaugural Program, beginning at 10:00 AM, was led by Jovita Rebello who served as the emcee for the opening ceremony, and followed by a warm welcome to all participants by President Ashwin Pinto, who extended gratitude for their enthusiasm and presence, it was also graced by the esteemed presence of Mr. Wilfred Mathais founder of Premier Advertising Material Trading LLC and Mr. Dayan D’Souza founder convenor of Daiji Dubai Writers Forum, Viyon Vice Coordinator of St Mary’s Mangalorean Community who were the dignitaries. Their encouraging remarks resonated with the spirit of the tournament, emphasizing community engagement and the joy of participation. This was followed by the exciting reveal of the Championship Trophies for the top three positions in each category. Matches continued dynamically throughout the day, closely monitored by dedicated referees and the tireless Konkan Yuva volunteers who served as line referees, scorers, and ensured the smooth execution of the match schedules. The day was a testament to the sport’s essence, fueled by moments of joy, adrenaline, heartbreak, and ultimate redemption.
As the tournament approached its climactic finals, players received heartfelt encouragement from Fr. Desmond Rebello, who inspired them to give their absolute best and uphold the true spirit of the game, regardless of victory or defeat.
The participation breakdown included:
- Men’s Doubles: 48 teams
- Women’s Doubles: 12 teams
- Mixed Doubles: 26 teams
The event fostered a vibrant atmosphere, with an estimated 400–500 attendees cheering on their favorite teams throughout the day.
Tournament Winners:
Men’s Doubles:
- Winners – Flying Smashers – Joy Sunil Rodrigues & Shyam Kumar
- Runners – Suares – Kevin Suares & Keith Suares
- 2nd Runners – Jenvin – Joshve Edwin Dsouza & & Minul Parves Bakkar
- 2nd Runners – Yonex Lover – Ashley D & Ramalingan Nr (Ram)
Women’s Doubles:
- Winners – United Loretto Friends – Reshma Suvaris & Anju Thomas
- Runners – K Smashers – Ruby Diana Cardin & Nirupini Prakash Shetty
- 2nd Runners – Badminton Active – Erica & Diana
- 2nd Runners – Ashel & Arjie – Arjie Acabado & Ashel Dsouza
Mixed Doubles:
- Winners – United Loretto Friends – Reshma Suares & Shyam Kumar
- Runners – Shuttle Shores – Kevin Vas & Anju Thomas
- 2nd Runners – Badminton Active – Erica & Favas
- 2nd Runners – Badminton Buddies – Shalet Miranda & Vishveshwar Venugopal Pai
The event also had the award ceremony for the friendly competition that was organized for only the Konkan Yuva members, which was listed as follows :
Men’s Doubles:
- Winners – Hansel and Vivian
- Runners – Clinton and Steven
Women’s Doubles:
- Winners – Melisha and Riwa
- Runners – Donita and Lisha
The competitive event concluded with close to 250 matches played, over 170 players, over 70 volunteers, and 10 referees. The closing ceremony started with the honoring of the chief guests. The Culture Secretary, Teena Renita D’souza, served as the emcee for the closing ceremonies, with dignitaries Mr. Ullas Fernandes, former KY member and past president, Sunny Joyson Fernandes, founder of Sunshine Blinds and current Konkan Yuva vice president, Advith Lobo, Secretary Jebel Ali, Konkani community and Alveera Fernandes, founder of Mika Technical Services, which also included the felicitation of the sponsors and the referees for their dedicated time and support, followed by the announcement and handover of awards to winners. The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Sports Secretary Prajwal Lopes, who extended gratitude to all participating teams, and especially to the dedicated Konkan Yuva volunteers whose unwavering efforts contributed to the seamless success of the tournament.
Konkan Yuva extends its sincere appreciation to all the generous sponsors and esteemed media partners who made this event possible:
Sponsored by:
- Sunshine Blinds Trading LLC
- Premier Advertising Material
- Merit Freight
- Yonex & Al Raed Pioneers
- TRU Events
- Digital World
- Futem Electro Mechanical Works LLC
- Ideal Loss Adjusters LLC
- Planet Air Travel
- Cliferd John Building & Construction Materials
- BTown
- Mika Technical Services
- Fogg
- Oswald Crasta & Family
- Oswald D’Souza & Family
- Ullas Fernandes & Family
- Rudolf Sanctis
About Konkan Yuva: Established in 2005, Konkan Yuva is a vibrant youth movement of St. Mary’s Catholic Church Dubai (Konkani Community), dedicated to serving Konkani Catholic youth (aged 18-35) in the UAE. Konkan Yuva’s mission is “Shaping the Future” by providing a supportive “home away from home” and fostering spiritual, cultural, and personal growth through liturgical contributions, community engagement, volunteerism, and recreational activities.
