IBAK and KDD celebrate a decade of sporting excellence with the 10th KDD-KBL tournament in Kuwait
The Indian Badminton Association Kuwait (IBAK) and the Kuwait Danish Dairy Company (KDD) celebrated the sporting partnership on Sept 25, 2025 — the 10th edition of the KDD-KBL Badminton League,
The ceremony was held at the IBAK Gym in Salwa, attended by guests, sponsors, and enthusiastic players.
The Chief Guest for the evening was V. V. Subramanian, Vice President and Chief Business Officer of KDD, while the Special Guest was Ms. Aisha Al Wayel, CEO of Aspire Kuwait. They were joined on stage by James Zhang, Managing Director of ARG Kuwait, Praveen Singh, Director of the Financial Services Group at Al Mulla Exchange, and various sponsors representing the eight participating teams. The full IBAK Organizing Committee was present in support of this celebratory occasion.
A special memento commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tournament was presented to Subramanian, while other guests received flower bouquets as a token of appreciation.
Over 140 athletes representing eight teams assembled in colorful jerseys, each holding their team flags. Dr. Manimara Chozhan, Chairman of IBAK, welcomed all the guests, players, and supporters to what promised to be an exciting four-day tournament — September 25 to October 3, 2025.
A souvenir marking a decade of the KDD-KBL was also released by the Chief Guest, who received the first copy. The team captains then presented their flags to the organizers, which were ceremoniously hoisted above the dais. Ms. Aisha Al Wayel formally declared the tournament open, extending her best wishes to all the participants.
The event also featured a cake-cutting ceremony to symbolize the opening of the tournament, which was met with resounding cheers from the players, fans, and guests, setting the stage for four days of thrilling badminton action.
The Eight Participating Teams — USC – Owned by Mr. Alex Koshey and Mr. Jyothirajan; Vikings – Owned by Mr. Srinivas; Elite Badminton Club – Owned by Mr. Hussain H. H.; Scorpions – Owned by Mr. Nikhil and Mr. Santhosh; Oriental – Owned by Oriental Insurance Company; ISA – Owned by Mr. Rajeev; Royal Stars – Owned by Mr. Binoy Rajan and 5.30 – Owned by a group of players.
The tournament, structured in two pools of four teams each and played in a round-robin-cum-elimination format, kicked off with intense matches from the very first evening. Players competed passionately across seven categories — Professional Men’s Doubles; Advanced Men’s Doubles; Super Combo Men’s Doubles; Ladies’ Doubles; Mixed Doubles; Intermediate Men’s Doubles and Open Men’s Doubles.
After two days of matches, four teams—USC, Vikings, Elite Badminton Club, and Scorpions—qualified for the knockout stages. Spectators were treated to high-intensity rallies and edge-of-the-seat finishes as matches often extended to the deciding third game.
Final Results:
- Champions: Team USC
- Runners-up: Team Scorpions
- Semi-finalists: Team Elite Badminton Club and Team Vikings
In the final showdown, Team USC took the early lead by winning the Professional Men’s Doubles. Team Scorpions fought back strongly, claiming both the Advanced and Super Combo Men’s Doubles.
However, Team USC regained momentum by winning the Ladies’ Doubles and Intermediate Men’s Doubles. The Scorpions leveled the score with a victory in the Open Men’s Doubles, but USC clinched the title in the decisive Mixed Doubles, sealing their championship triumph.
Throughout the tournament, KDD provided complimentary “Good for Me” products to all participants and attendees, adding to the event’s celebratory spirit.
Adding to the significance of the occasion, Dr. Manimara Chozhan, announced the official IBAK Tournament Calendar for 2026, promising more opportunities for Kuwait’s badminton community.
As the KDD-KBL enters its second decade, it continues to stand as a symbol of unity, sportsmanship, and grassroots development in Kuwait’s badminton landscape. IBAK reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing the sport, announcing upcoming events including the IBAK Al-Mulla Exchange Cup (October 30–31, 2025) and the Inter-School Tournament (December 2025).
