FORMER India badminton player Mangirish Palekar considers Kuvale brothers —Viplav and Viraj— who won the men's doubles title at the Maharashtra Senior State Selection Badminton Tournament at Nanded earlier this month, bright India prospects. He considers their win special as the duo from Greater Mumbai won the title which Palekar and partner Mayur Ghatnekar clinched way back in 2007. In the final at Nanded, the Kuvale brothers registered a 21-17, 21-16 win over Pratik Ranade and Shubham Patil.

Palekar told www.mid-day.com: "I see the Kuvale brothers as India prospects in men's doubles. Personally, it was good to see them win the doubles title at the state selection tournament in Nanded. The win is special as they are a pair from Greater Mumbai to achieve the feat 15 years after Mayur and myself did in 2007. I want them to concentrate on doubles and plan their training so that they can become a pair to reckon with." Shuttle Craze Badminton Academy director Palekar wants the brothers, who currently train at Thane academy and at Bombay Gymkhana, to have the right mentors in a quest to get  the glory days back in city badminton.

The state champion pair of Mangirish Palekar and partner Mayur Ghatnekar in 2007