Warm welcome of MAKA Trophy at GNDU
Amritsar, January 10
Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) celebrated a silver jubilee moment as it welcomed the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy to its campus for the 25th time. The university emerged as the winner, beating over 1,000 universities across the country. The university’s sportspersons, students, officials and members of faculty turned out in huge numbers as Vice-Chancellor Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu dedicated the trophy to all those behind the university’s sporting success.
Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Punjab, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer presided over the celebratory event as university officials and sportspersons for their contribution in winning the trophy. He also congratulated two Arujna Awardee from GNDU, shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar of the Physical Education Department of GNDU and para-canoe player Prachi Yadav of HMV College, Jalandhar, who were honoured by the President of India.
Gurmeet Singh said Punjab has a legacy of sports culture, which needs to be preserved. ‘For this, the Punjab Government has proposed to set up village-to-village sports nurseries,” he shared. He invited all those colleges, schools and other institutions to prepare sports nurseries at their level, the government will provide them one coach and other facilities. He also announced R25 lakh for GNDU sports equipment on behalf of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The trophy, adorned with flowers, was paraded on an open jeep alongside accomplished players from national and international sports events. Led by Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Prof KS Kahlon, university’s sports department, the procession toured main departments on the campus, concluding at Sri Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan Auditorium.
VC Prof Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu said, “We have waived fee for national-level sportspersons, with free of cost lodging, food and training programme. The university has a velodrome, indoor gymnasium, swimming pool, Astroturf, two shooting ranges, an archery field, indoor fencing stadium and we also provide coaching and training program for water sports. Our MYAS Department of Sports Science and Medicine offers sports medicine, treatment and physical and psychological evaluation of athletes. This program is being replicated in six more universities across the country,” he said.
Dr Ajay Sareen, president of the GNDU Sports Committee (Women) and Principal, HMV College, and Dr Mehal Singh, president, GNDU sports committee (men), and the principal of Khalsa College proposed a vote of thanks.
GNDU Inter-College Overall General Championship Trophies 2022-23 were also distributed to the winner colleges. Overall Shaheed Bhagat Singh Yadgari Trophy 2022-23 went to Khalsa College, Amritsar. A Division Men winner trophy was won by Khalsa College, Amritsar, while runners-up were Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar. A Division Women Winner Trophy was won by HMV College, Jalandhar, and the runners-up were BBK DAV College, Amritsar. B Division Winner were SSM College, Dinanagar. B Division Women winner trophy went to Hindu College, Amritsar, and the runners-up trophy to DAV College, Amritsar.
