Andrew Paoginlen Lotzem wins bronze at Badminton Nationals
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, October 15 2018:
Young tribal shuttler from Manipur, Andrew Paoginlen Lotzem clinched a U-17 boys doubles bronze medal with Chayanit Joshi at the Yonex Sunrise All India National Ranking Badminton Tournament for Under-15 and Under-17 boys and girls held at Patna from October 9 to 15 .
Andrew Paoginlen Lotzem, son of Col Daniel Lotzem and Kim Lotzem from Kangchup Makhom of Kangpokpi District and his partner Chayanit Joshi of Uttarakhand have made a mark by clinching bronze medal in under 17 boy's at the National tournament.
Former trainee of renowned Manipur's Badminton coach Laishram Ringki, Andrew Lotzem and his partner Chayanit outclassed their opponents Naren Iyer and Vishesh Sharma of Karnataka in straight sets (21-18, 21-16) in the quarter final of the tournament but went down to experienced pair of Murugappa K and Srayas PV of Tamil Nadu in the semi final to settle with the bronze.
Born on 9 October 2003, the 10th standard student of Kanan Devi Memorial School, Pangei in Manipur started picking up badminton at an early age when he was just 11 in 2014 at Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh where his father was posted as Instructor Class "A" in Army Education and Training College.
Since then, the young shuttler is pursuing his dream of becoming a professional badminton player.
The proud Army son had undergone coaching under different coaches at various places.
In 2016 he along with his mother went to Tom's Badminton Academy to be trained under Tom John, a former coach of England Junior team.
He also joined the historic badminton coaching of around eight months under an Indonesian coach in Manipur which was organized by few parents at Kakching under own arrangements in 2017.Andrew Lotzem was selected by SAI as one of the elite potential to be trained at SAI Pullela Gopichand National Badminton Academy in Hyderabad in March 2017.Son of a serving Army officer Colonel Daniel Lotzem of Guards Regiment, an upcoming ace young shuttler Andrew Lotzem have put several domestic feather in his cap at such a tender age such as U-13 and U-15 Champion titles of Meghalaya State in 2015 and 16; U-17 and U-19 Champion titles of Meghalaya in 2017; ranked 12th in U-15 All India Ranking in 2017.He won a silver in the U-15 boys competition at Serbian Youth International, 2017.He also won a bronze medal in U-15 boys single at All India Sub Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament held at Tirupur, Tamil Nadu last year.
In recognition of his potential and achievements in the game of badminton, Andrew Lotzem was conferred 'Kut VB Icon award' by the Kukis of Meghalaya and Assam in the auspicious occasion of Chavang Kut in November at Guwahati.