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Ludhiana: Moga crush Ferozepur as Jarkhar hockey festival kicks off
In the sub-junior category, the winning team will receive ₹25,000 and a running trophy, while the runners-up and other top teams will also be awarded attractive cash prizes
The Olympian Pirthipal Singh Hockey Festival began on Saturday at the Jarkhar Sports Stadium. Organised by the Mata Sahib Kaur Sports Charitable Trust, the prestigious hockey tournament witnessed the participation of players, sports lovers and prominent personalities from across Punjab.
The tournament was formally inaugurated by Padma Shri Baldev Singh along with Jarkhar Games chairman Narinder Pal Singh Sidhu, Davinder Pal Singh Ladi, chief organiser Jagroop Singh Jarkhar, among others. The dignitaries inaugurated the festival by releasing balloons and interacting with the players of the opening match.
The festival features 16 teams competing in both junior and senior categories. The opening senior match saw Moga defeat Ferozepur 5-2 in an exciting contest. Another nail-biting encounter witnessed Neeta Club Rampur edge past Amargarh Centre in a penalty shootout after both teams were locked at 7-7 in regulation time. Rampur eventually secured a 3-1 win in the shootout.
In the junior category, Ghawaddi School defeated HTC Centre Rampur 2-1, while Ek Noor Academy Tehing registered a convincing 7-3 victory over Amargarh Hockey Centre.
Chief organiser Jagroop Singh Jarkhar said the tournament carries a total prize money of ₹1.5 lakh for senior teams, sponsored by GST truck permit MD Jangshair Singh from the United States. The winning senior team will receive ₹60,000 along with the Olympian Pirthipal Singh Running trophy, while outstanding players will also be honoured with top-class bicycles. The runners-up team will receive ₹40,000, while the third and fourth-placed teams will get ₹25,000 and ₹15,000 respectively.
In the sub-junior category, the winning team will receive ₹25,000 and a running trophy, while the runners-up and other top teams will also be awarded attractive cash prizes. “The tournament has once again brought together Punjab’s rich hockey culture and young sporting talent under one roof,” said Jarkhar.
