Kotkapura, May 2: Over 250 female athletes from across 11 districts have descended upon Kotkapura for the 12th State Gatka (Girls) Championship, which commenced Saturday at the Baba Farid Gurukul Group of Colleges. The tournament, organized by the Gatka Association of Punjab and the District Faridkot unit, features competitors from various age categories demonstrating skills in the traditional Sikh martial art.
A group of prominent leaders, including Advocate Harjeet Singh Grewal and Giani Shamsher Singh, Head Granthi of Budha Dal, led the inaugural ceremonies. Following the traditional Ardas, officials administered oaths to the participating players to uphold the spirit of the game.
Jathedar Sher Singh Mand, General Secretary of the SGPC, declared a grant of Rs 2 lakh to support the tournament and confirmed that the committee would handle catering through a continuous Langar service. He expressed his gratitude to the organizers for providing a competitive environment for the youth.
Advocate Harjeet Singh Grewal affirmed that ongoing efforts are being made to encourage the younger generation to take up Gatka alongside other sports. He asserted that the event represents a unique integration of cultural ethos and physical discipline, allowing players to test their abilities at a high level.
Addressing the participants, former Parliamentary Secretary Mantar Singh Brar stated that making girls proficient in self-defense and martial arts is a vital undertaking. He also recognized the efforts of college Managing Director Dr. Pritam Singh Chhokar and District President Dr. Manjit Singh Dhillon in hosting the state-level meet.
The event will run through Sunday morning. Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan is slated to serve as the chief guest for the final session, where he will honor the top-performing teams and individual players.
