Rupnagar, April 19: Rupnagar district has secured the overall trophy at the 12th Punjab State Gatka Championship, following a series of dominant performances across sub-junior, junior, and senior divisions. The tournament, which concluded on Sunday in the village of Laudimajra, saw Gurdaspur and Fatehgarh Sahib take the second and third positions, respectively.
Individual excellence was also recognized during the ceremony, with Baljot Singh of Rupnagar named the Best Gatkabaaz in the sub-junior division. Dilraj Singh from Amritsar was awarded the Best Player title in the junior category, while Amanpreet Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib claimed the top honors for the senior participants.
Rupnagar, being historically associated with the Khalsa legacy, holds a special responsibility in preserving and promoting martial art Gatka, Rupnagar MLA Dinesh Chadha stated during the closing event. Serving as the chief guest, Chadha noted that he intends to coordinate with state authorities to enhance facilities for players and further strengthen the sport’s infrastructure.
Advocate Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the National Gatka Association of India, praised the technical staff and teams for their contributions to the sport’s steady growth. He affirmed that the World Gatka Federation is working toward the long-term objective of having Gatka included in the Olympic Games. Grewal declared that collective efforts from coaches, referees, and promoters are essential to sustaining this progress.
