Jalandhar, February 19
The 18th SAIL-Nehru Champion Colleges Hockey Tournament began today at the local Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium with DAV College, Jalandhar, Al-Ameen College, Bangalore, and Sri Guru Hari Singh College, Sirsa, winning the matches. The tournament will conclude on February 26.

In the inaugural match, DAV College, Jalandhar, defeated Desh Bhagat College, Bardwal (Dhuri), by 3-2. Al-Ameen College, Bangalore, beat CRA College, Sonepat, by 4-2 and Sri Guru Hari Singh College, Sirsa, thrashed Jawaharlal Nehru PG College, Bhopal, by 7-1.

Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema inaugurated the tournament, while Director, Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh presided over the function.

Working secretary of the tournament-cum-SDM-I Iqbal Singh Sandhu said the tournament was held annually by the Jawahar Lal Nehru Hockey Society, New Delhi. “This year it is being held jointly by the Surjit Hockey Society, Jalandhar, Association of Indian Universities and Jawahar Lal Nehru Hockey Society, New Delhi,” he added.

Secretary of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Hockey Society, New Delhi, and international hockey umpire Kukku Walia said the selection of the college teams had been done by the Association of Indian Universities.

As many as 12 champion college teams of various universities from across the country were participating in the league-cum-knockout basis tournament. The teams included Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, Nandra Arts and Sports College, Erode (Tamil Nadu), Jamia Milia Islamia College, New Delhi, Municipal College, Rourkela, Al-Ameen College, Bangalore, CRA College, Sonepat, Desh Bhagat College, Bhardwal, S.D. Purwal College, Nagpur, DAV College, Jalandhar, PG College, Bhopal, Loyala College, Chennai, Gur Har Singh College, Sirsa.

Sandhu maintained that the champion team would get a cash award of Rs 96,000, while runners-up would get Rs 64,000 and third position holders would bag Rs 32,000.

“The coaches of the winners, runners-up and third place team would be given Rs 8,000, 5,000 and 3,000, respectively.

The man of the match of each game would be awarded sports kits, while the best players of the tournament would be given attractive prizes,” he added.

Jalandhar, February 19
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Mayors of Surrey in Canada and the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ) for cooperation between the two cities on various issues.

The Mayor of Surrey, Dianne Watts, and the Mayor of Jalandhar Rakesh Rathore signed the MoU here today. The MoU has confirmed that the city of Surrey and Jalandhar planned to work together on initiatives including those advancing sustainability, economic, educational and municipal operation objectives in both cities.

In a joint statement issued after signing the MoU, Watts and Rathore said the goal of this effort was to exchange information and increase cooperation between the two cities, industries and academic partners.

The MoU was singed on the initiative of the President of the Northern Region Exporters Forum, Atamjit Singh Bawa.

Nearly one-third of the total five lakh population of Surrey hailed from Jalandhar and its surrounding areas in the Doaba region of Punjab.

Different issues, including agriculture processing and packaging in Punjab, solar energy, garbage collection and generation of power and hydroelectric plants were also discussed on this occasion.

Hoshiarpur, February 19
An NRI, Ramanjit Singh, son of Jasbir Singh of Jian, died, while Varinderpreet Singh, son of Harbans Singh, and Karamjit Singh, son of Harmohinder Singh, both of the same village were wounded when a tractor-trailer (PB 07T 1377) hit their Esteem car (CH 01N 2592) in which they were going to their houses near Chabbewal, 8 km from here, today.

According to the police, the injured, Varinderpreet Singh and Karamjit Singh, were admitted to a private hospital in the town from where Karamjit Singh was discharged after first aid.

Ramanjit Singh had recently came to India from the UK.

The Chabbewal police has registered a case.

Pathankot, February 19
Major Singh, a truck driver, was found murdered in his truck near Sujanpur town, about 10 km from here, on the Jalandhar-Jammu road today.

According to the police, Major Singh was going to Abohar after unloading the goods at Kathua (J&K) along with his cleaner, Vijay Kumar.

They stopped at a dhabha near Sujanpur town for dinner, where he had a fight over some matter.

The cleaner attacked Major Singh with an iron rod while he was aslee2p in the truck in the night.

People of the nearby dhabhas found the body of the truck driver this morning and informed the police.

The police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC against the cleaner, who fled after the crime.

The police has recovered the iron rod, which was used in the crime, said DSP Karam Chand.

Amritsar, February 19
That the Sufi music and lyrics are still a hit among the public was perceptible during the performances of Sufi singers on the second day of the Amritsar Virasat Mela here today.

Sufi singer Mamta Joshi belted out Sufi numbers one after another. Other Sufi singers Saida Begam, Jyoti Noora, Sultana Noora and Teji Sandhu also mesmerised the music lovers with their presentations.

Another major event of the day was trilingual “Kavi Darbar”, in which Anup Virk, Manjit Indra, Sushil Dusanjh, Tralochan Lochchi, Darshan Buttar, Kulwant Aujala, Vijay Vivek, Shri Ram Arsh, Lakhwinder Johal, Surinder Neer, Sukhwinder Amrit, Surjit Judge, Balbir Bagicha Singh Dhaliwal, Barjinder Chohan, Ramendar Jakhu Sahil, Madhav Kaushik and Balli Singh Cheema participated.

Earlier, “Majhe Di Gayaki” stole the show with various artistes singing folk numbers accompanied by traditional musical instruments. Rashpal Rasila, Sohni Rasila, Jagdev Yamla, Surjit Bhullar, Mangal Hundal, Preeti and Surinder Sagar enthralled the audience at the open stage installed at Guru Nanak Stadium in the noon.

The day-long cultural extravaganza, which is held annually to celebrate folk music, dance and creative arts, kicked off with a heritage walk, which covered various historic areas of the holy city, including, Town Hall, Gurdwara Santokhsar, Katra Ahluwalia, Bunga Ramgharia, Jallianwala Bagh and the Golden Temple.