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Indian badminton's sensational duo Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have decided to auction the jersey they wore during the memorable final of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The historic jersey holds significant importance as the pair secured the country's first-ever gold medal in badminton.
The auction program will take place through Solibad's charity's Instagram account named @solibad_charity and is scheduled for 2 pm IST on November 26. The final bid of the show will be concluded at 8 pm IST. Notably, the winning bid will be chosen as the highest one not surpassed for five minutes after the clock hits 8 pm.
The duo of Shetty and Rankireddy are dedicated ambassadors of Solibad and support the organization's motive to the core of helping those in need. According to a press release, Shetty was quoted as saying:
“Giving back and helping children in need is really something that fulfils me and makes me really happy – more than anything else.”
It shows the players' commitment extending beyond the badminton field to humanitarian causes, including programs in Tamil Nadu. Moreover, the winner of the auction will also get a printed photo signed by the champions Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy along with the shirt.
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy's auctioned jersey funds to be used for humanitarian purposes
It is pertinent to mention that the funds raised through this auction will be directed towards Sri Meikandaar Matric Higher Secondary School, a project established by the NGO Human Uplift Trust.
Elaborating on this, Solibad, Badminton Without Borders, said in a press release:
“It is situated in the village of Mannachanallur, in Trichy, centre of Tamil Nadu, one of India’s poorer areas where families from the Dalit caste, have no means to send their children to school. The money raised will be used to set up a global sports program for up to 900 children for a year."
The Indian duo's victory over South Korea's Choi Sol-gyu and Kim Won Ho not only brought India's first-ever gold medal in the badminton realm but also ended the 41-year medal drought in men's doubles.
The win also made the formidable pair World No. 1 in the rankings. Leroy D'sa and Pradeep Gandhe were the last pair to secure a bronze medal in men's doubles for India in 1982.
