SEMSA Awards 2026
The SEMSA Annual Sport and Community Awards Ceremony took place on the 1st of February 2026 at Mr. Singh’s India restaurant. SEMSA proudly announces award winners…
Volunteer of the year
Joint Winners – Adrishta Gautam and Manira Ahmad
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an individual who has given up their time to engage BAME communities into sport and physical activity. Has demonstrated considerable knowledge, passion and patience to both inspire and build confidence in others to realise the benefits of sport within wider society.
Project of the Year
TAWAS ( Tarang Art and Wellbeing Association of Scotland )
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an organisation that has demonstrated significant impact to engage and increase levels of participation amongst BAME communities
Community Coach of the year
Divya Manickavalu
Nominee criteria: Achieved excellence in coaching. Has given of their time to inspire others into coaching. Is a role model for BAME communities.
Female Entrepreneur of the year
Tehseen Anwar
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an individual for their outstanding contribution to actively engage BAME communities.
Male Entrepreneur of the year
Sanjay Majhu
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an individual for their outstanding contribution to actively engage BAME communities.
Unsung Hero of the year
Farkhanda Choudhury
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an individual for their outstanding contribution to actively engage BAME communities. In doing so has worked tirelessly on a voluntary basis, engaging both BAME communities as well as sports providers to enact positive measures to increase and widen sport to all communities.
Services to the community
Athena football Club (Mridula Chakraborty MBE collected the award of behalf of the club)
Nominee criteria: Awarded for their outstanding service to the community with emphasis on the BAME communities.
Disability Achievement Award
James Pert
Nominee criteria: Awarded to an individual or organisation who have actively engaged the sector to dismantle barriers and recognise the specific needs of disabled people to participate and excel in sport and physical activity.
Community Young Sports Person of the year
Ekvira Singh
Nominee criteria: Is aged 18 years or under. Has shown a level of dedication and passion excelling great heights. Is an inspiration and role model for BAME communities.
Community Sport Person of the year
Lila Sallis
Nominee criteria: Has proven to be a source of inspiration to BAME communities. Has used the power of sport to engage and impact on others. Has raised awareness of their sport to inspire others.
Special Recognition Award
Ronier Duemeni – African Challenge Scotland
Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr Surjeet Chaudhry
Click on the camera link below to see photos from the awards ceremony…
Mixed Doubles Badminton Tournament
Please note the new date of 22nd March 2026 for the tournament.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the 8th February Mixed Doubles Tournament is postponed to the 22nd March. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.
Join us for the SEMSA Mixed Doubles Tournament on 22nd March 2026 at SCRBC (please note the new date), starting at 9:30 am. This popular event offers a relaxed yet competitive environment for players across Social and Advanced categories. The tournament provides a great opportunity to play, meet other players, and enjoy the game. Entry fees are £10 for Social and £15 for Advanced per person. See you there! Please click on the form icon below to enter.
To enter the tournament…
please use the following Google Form..
Children’s Badminton Club
Looking for a fun, active, and well-organised Sunday activity for the kids? The SEMSA Children’s Badminton Club offers a welcoming and supportive environment for youngsters aged 6–16 years to learn, play, and enjoy badminton while building confidence and social skills.
Sessions run every Sunday from 1st February 2026, 2–4pm, at Glasgow Club, Springburn, and are suitable for all ability levels, from complete beginners to more experienced players. Entry is completely FREE, making it an ideal opportunity to introduce your child to a healthy and enjoyable sport. Consent and registration forms can be completed at the venue at the start of the session, and parents are welcome to bring their children along and find out more on the day.
Men’s Badminton Tournament 2025
The SEMSA Men’s Badminton Tournament on November 30 2025 proved to be an outstanding success, drawing a huge turnout of players to the SCRBC courts. From the first serve at 9:30am, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy as competitors from all categories—Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and the Over 40’s Doubles — delivered match after match of fast-paced, exciting badminton. The level of skill on display kept everyone fully engaged throughout the day, and the spirit of friendly competition helped make the event both enjoyable and memorable.
The positive sense of community and camaraderie carried through the entire tournament. It was a day filled with great sportsmanship, plenty of enthusiasm, and countless moments to celebrate. SEMSA is delighted with how well the event was received and is already looking forward to organizing more tournaments in the near future, continuing to bring players together and strengthen the badminton community even further.
Click on the camera link below to see photos of the tournament…
Women’s Cricket
In partnership with Cricket Scotland.
SEMSA, in collaboration with Cricket Scotland, successfully delivered a four-week community programme designed to introduce women and girls to the sport of cricket.
Many participants had previously only observed their fathers or partners enjoying the game but had never been given the opportunity to learn or play themselves. Recognising this gap within the community, SEMSA took the initiative to partner with Cricket Scotland to create an inclusive, engaging, and enjoyable introductory cricket experience.
The four-week taster project proved to be a great success, fostering enthusiasm and participation among women and girls who are now keen to continue developing their skills in the sport.
Free Sessions:
- Monday 20th Oct 7pm until 8pm
- Monday 27th Oct 7pm until 8pm
Location:
Barrhead Foundry, Main St,
Barrhead, Glasgow G78 1SW
Women’s Badminton Tournament
22nd June 2025
The SEMSA Women’s Badminton Tournament in association with Badminton Scotland was held on 22 June 2025 at the Sir Craig Reedie Badminton Centre in Glasgow. The event featured a range of categories, including women’s singles and doubles across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The tournament showcased impressive talent and enthusiasm, with players competing in a spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
The turnout was fantastic, with over 50 participants attending from Perthshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayrshire. They all contributed to a lively and welcoming atmosphere throughout the day. Players, accompanying spectators and volunteers alike enjoyed the event, creating a memorable experience for all involved. We are grateful for the strong community support and look forward to hosting more successful tournaments in the near future.
🏆 Tournament Winners
Deepa Ganapathy Ajjikuttira & Maria Coronado
Tejal Naik & Shammy Haldar
Asma Parveen & Eman Javed
Paulina Ježová
Click on the camera link below to see photos from the event…
Annual Awards 2025
SEMSA’s Annual Awards took place on 23rd February at Mr. Singh’s India Restaurant (Glasgow). Please click on the Annual Awards Page to see more information about the event and Award winners!
<— link to Annual Awards Web Page – click here —>
International Women’s Day 2025
Thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate our 8th. International Women’s Day with SEMSA. This event was held at the Gaelic school in Glasgow on Sunday 9th March 2025.
This year our VIP speakers were…
Baillie Annette Christie
Provost Mary Montague, East Renfrewshire Council.
Pam Gosal MBE MSP
For Entertainment
Punjabi dances by
Amardeep Kaur
Rani kaur
Bollywood songs by
Savitha Menon
Junior DBS Dance
Choreographed by Tanushree Bhattacharya.
Punjabi Folk song
Romi
Speech on Mental health and Wellbeing by Taj Kooner and Sandip Kaur. Sakoon Mind. A Mental health and Wellbeing charity that specialises in The South Asian community.
We had a variety of stalls
Fashionable, Traditional clothing, shoes and jewellery stall by Anjali.
Bengali jewellery and Garments stall by Gunjun Mukuthi
Fancy Bags by Rani Kaur
British Transport Police Information stall
Mental health and Wellbeing stall by Taj Kooner and Sandip Kaur
Raffle draw was eagerly awaited by the audience and went down a treat by all winners
Participatory dance enjoyed by ladies and children dancing to the music by DJ Rocky.
At the end of the programme, mouthwatering food catered by Ranjit’s kitchen was enjoyed by everyone.
Click on the camera link below to see photos from the event…
Regular Mixed Badminton Meetups
SEMSA runs a mixed (male and female players) Badminton Group every Sunday from 5pm until 7pm at Scotstoun Sports Centre, Glasgow.
There is no joining fee for the group, but there is a cash charge of £6 for attending a session. You can come as an individual player and you will be assigned someone to play against at the meetings.
To join the Group, please contact Greg via WhatsApp on 07866 190137, you will be added to the SEMSA Badminton WhatsApp group where you will be kept up to date with the latest info, including any cancelations. Please message Greg with your name and telephone number to join and receive your welcome message with rules and regulations.
On entry to the sports centre, make your way to the badminton courts and look out for Greg to get you started. If asked, just mention that you are there with the SEMSA badminton group.
Please bring your own badminton racquet if you can, and wear appropriate attire with non-marking court shoes (trainers).
Regular Women’s Badminton Meetups
SEMSA runs two Women’s Badminton Groups:
Wednesday 8pm-10pm, Glasgow Club Bellahouston
Saturday 9am-11am, Glasgow Club Kelvinhall
There is no joining fee for the group, but there is a cash charge to be paid for every session attended.
£6 for 2 hours
£4 for 1 hour
You can come as an individual player and you will be assigned someone to play against at the meetings.
To join the Group or for more information, please contact Rajani on 07795 057092.
Racquet / shuttles / coaching will be provided. Please wear comfortable playing clothes with non-marking court shoes (trainers), and a water bottle to stay hydrated.
Mixed Doubles Badminton Tournament
February 2025
Congratulations to our winners and runners up at the SEMSA Mixed Doubles Badminton Tournament that took place on 9th Feb at the Sir Craig Reedie Badminton Centre.
Winners of the Competitive Players Group: Thomas Cairn and Dorothy Jim
Runners Up of the Competitive Players Group: Amanda Li and Shinyi Breslin
Winners of the Social Players Group: Victor Lee and Betty Leu
Runners Up of the Social Players Group: Lewis Cheung and Christina Cheung
To see more photos from the event, please click on the image below…
Sports Council for Glasgow Awards 2024
(Club Sport Glasgow)
22nd November 2024 – Glasgow City Chambers.
SEMSA proudly announces that the ClubSport Glasgow Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 was presented to our very own President, Dilawer Singh MBE.
SEMSA can also proudly announce that they were awarded the Impact Award 2024 by ClubSport Glasgow.
SEMSA September Sports Day 2024
The SEMSA September Sports Day took place in Kelvingrove Park on the 21st of September. A fun time was had by all. Please click on the camera link below to see more photos of the event.
Summer Sports Day 2024
SEMSA in conjunction with Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha and Punjabi Academy Glasgow held the annual sports day at Kelvin Hall on 15th June 2024.
The event was very well attended and everyone had a great time! Many thanks to all the volunteers, parents and children who came along to make the event so enjoyable.
Please click on the link below to see images from the event….
Women’s Community Badminton Doubles Tournament 2024
2nd June 2024
SEMSA organised the 7th Annual Women-only Doubles Badminton Tournament on 2nd June 2024 at Sir Craig Reedie Badminton Centre (SCRBC) in Glasgow. The tournament was the brain-child of SEMSA trustees, Rajani Tyagi. She felt the need to give the club players motivation to continue with regular club sessions. This ethnically diverse women-only tournament was the first of its king Scotland. The idea helps to bring many women from the BME community to play and participate in the tournament as it was organised with women’s cultural needs in mind. This is only possible with SEMSA’s forward-thinking mindset. This could only be achieved with the board members and community understanding each others needs.
The tournament has grown from 2017 to the present day with ever-increasing numbers of players. This is the second time it has been organised in association with Badminton Scotland.
We had ladies participating from all over Scotland. Women came from Isle of Skye, Dundee, Ayrshire and of course, Glasgow, where four clubs were represented. The participant numbers have doubled from last year which was a delightful achievement for the SEMSA board members.
SEMSA were honoured to have VIP, Rachel Sugden attend. She is the 2024 Women’s Singles National Champion. Rachel presented medals to the winners as well as provided a boost to the players.
SEMSA Board Members are delighted to see the progress of this particular event in their portfolio, and strive to continual improvement in future years.
Photographs from the tournament are a testament to the success of this event and can be viewed by clicking on the link below…
Photo credits: Jas Jassal, Amitabh Bhattacharjee, Kamaljit Minhas, Shandana Sarmad
Please click on the camera logo to see more photos from the event.
SEMSA Hill Walking
To promote healthy life style SEMSA organises many activities, hill walking is one of those. Anyone interested to join on Sundays, please contact us on info@semsascotland.com for further details. For the most up to date information about recent outings, please click on the SEMSA Hillwalking page – <—- link — >
Scottish Ethnic Minority Sports Association
The Scottish Ethnic Minority Sports Association (SEMSA) was established in 1990 due to the lack of provisions available to the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities of Glasgow. Since its inception SEMSA has created and provided culturally sensitive sporting opportunities to the (BME) community.
Now SEMSA has taken cognisance of the changing community dynamics and the migration of new communities to the city. As a result of both the demographic change as well as the financial pressure in the current economic climate, SEMSA has evoked a change to a more strategic and inclusive approach.
This inclusiveness allows Scotland’s new and indigenous communities to work towards creating an equal playing field for all communities at both an operational and strategic level. SEMSA recognises the need to challenge and tackle inequality, racism and discrimination in the field of sport as a core element of its work. SEMSA is one of the leading national sports organisation run by, and for BME communities in Glasgow to organise and deliver sporting activities of interest.
The organisation has established a range of programmes and initiatives such as the SASA Football Programme, coaching/capacity building programmes, badminton programmes and national football and badminton competitions. Some of the key areas SEMSA has not only been involved in but has also initiated include : UK Asian Football Championships (UKAC), Glasgow wide BME sports events, annual Summer Academies, development of a BME equalities post in Glasgow City Council, links to new communities and training programme development initiatives.
The Scottish Ethnic Minority Sports Association is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), registered in Scotland, number SC046642 and regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
