Amritsar, August 23(Bharat Sandesh)- Guru Nanak Dev University has once again won the highest INTER-UNIVERSITY NATIONAL SPORTS AWARD of the country “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy” (MAKA) for a record number of 22 times for the year 2010-11 emerging again as the ‘TOP UNIVERSITY IN SPORTS’ of India amongst other Universities.
This information is received here today by the the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India, New Delhi vide office memorandum dated 19thAugust, 2013. Apart from a replica of MAKA Trophy, the University would be given award money of Rs. 10,00,000/-. Guru Nanak Dev university is the only one university in the country who has won this trophy for the highest number of times i.e. 22ndtimes.
His Excellency, President of India, Sh. Pranab Kumar Mukherjee would award this coveted trophy to Prof. Ajaib Singh Brar, Vice-Chancellor and Dr. H.S. Randhawa, Deputy Director (Sports) of the University in an investiture ceremony being held at Ashoka Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on August 31, 2013.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ajaib Singh Brar congratulated the sports department and credited the success of this achievement to all the sports men-women who participated in various events of inter-university sports competitions. He said the University is proud of those colleges, principals, teachers, coaches and students who contributed for the winning of this prestigious trophy. He said that the youth hailing from affiliated colleges of the University spread in six districts have tremendous potential for sports and University would extend them all essential support for its development in the field of sports.
Dr. H.S. Randhawa, said that this is a matter of pride for the University to have won this coveted MAKA trophy for the record number of 22 times in the short span of its establishment. He said during this time, University was adjudged as runners-up for 12 times and remained third for two times. He said that the University has created a history and no other University in the country could boast of such a performance.
He said that Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy was instituted in 1956-57 as a running trophy by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. He said that this running trophy is awarded by the President of India each year to that University which has all round best performance in sports at Inter-University, National and International sports competitions. Guru Nanak Dev University started its actual participation in Inter-University and other tournaments in the year 1974-75 and since then, the University has been winning one or the other position for this trophy, he added.
It is pertinent to say that earlier Punjabi University Patiala was declared as Winner of MAKA Trophy for the year 2010-2011. But Guru Nanak Dev University filed writ petition in the Delhi High court against the decision, as the performance details by Punjabi University, Patiala were not received in AIU by June 30, 2011 the last date of submission. The Delhi High Court after verifying the relevant records and proofs stayed the award and directed the selection committee to recalculate the marks of contesting Universities after verifying all the records by giving equal opportunity to all parties.
Dr. H.S. Randhawa appeared before the selection Committee on March 4, 2013 and he presented all the facts and lacunas of Punjabi University Patiala claim to the selection committee. The Scrutiny Committed meeting held on May 23, 2013, scrutinized the marks of contending Universities and after in-depth verification declared Guru Nanak Dev University as Overall Winner University.
