After losing MAKA trophy for back to back years, Punjabi university loses tag of sports excellence
Panjab University, Chandigarh, lifted the coveted trophy this year while last year’s winners Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, came second and Punjabi University took the third spot
After losing the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy back-to-back for two years, the Punjabi university seems to have lost the tag of a premier institute as far as sports excellence and performance is concerned.
This year, Panjab university, Chandigarh, lifted the coveted trophy and received the cash prize of ₹15 lakh on National sports day on Thursday. Punjabi university got the third spot and last year’s winner, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, remained ahead of Punjabi varsity at second position.
Once considered the mecca of sports, the Punjabi university won MAKA trophy 10 times including six consecutive times between 2012-2017, before it started losing sheen in its sports performances.
One of the main reasons for this is the direct interference of university administration in working of sports department which resulted in the loss of the university in these two years.
A senior faculty members of the sports department, pleading anonymity, said the university is equipped with state-of-the art facilities, but acute shortage of funds and unwarranted delay in clearing bills handicapped activities.
“The coaches and players of several sports disciplines struggled to participate in the all-India inter-university championships in the last two years. There was inordinate delay in sanctioning funds for travel and stay,” he added.
Another senior coach said that they had to fight to acquire funds for providing proper kits and equipments, besides expenses for preparatory camps and dietary for players in their hostel messes.
“Senior and experienced players refused to join the university’s sports wings, which were once the best in the country,” he added.
He said that there is no motivation for players, as the university gave away prize money to winners after a gap of three years this time.
Director of the sports department Gurdeep Kaur Randhawa admitted to these being major factors for poor performances that cost university the MAKA trophy.
“However, we cannot lament on our loss as the situation has gradually improved as far as cooperation of other key departments of the university is concerned,”
Randhawa said.She added that the department had faced situation in which the bills of players and coaches were not cleared for months.
“I have asked coaches and players to let bygones be bygones and work hard on the training and performances in year to come so that the university can lift MAKA trophy next year,” Randhawa said.
Vice-chancellor(V-C) professor BS Ghuman said that he has asked the sports department to chalk out a strategy for improving performances.
“I have held a meeting with senior officials of the department to gather proper feedback so that the required facilities and logistics can be provided to the department,”he added.
In September last year, the students and coaches of Punjabi university’s sports department created ruckus at office of varsity’s finance officer over non-clearance of their payments including camps expenditure, diet charges, travelling allowance and others. It was only after a hue and cry that their bills were cleared.
In another instance, the varsity players struggled to get their cash awards announced by the university after they won medals at national and international level tournaments, between 2015 to 2017. The university gave away the cash prizes this year after delay a three years.
