Punjabi University to get MAKA trophy

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 27

Ignoring all objections, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has decided to award the coveted Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy to Punjabi University, Patiala.

The university authorities will get the trophy at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on August 29 by President Ram Nath Kovind.

In the points review meeting, both Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Punjabi University levelled serious allegations against each other. Punjabi University alleged that Panjab University had fielded an ineligible player in the All-India Inter-University Sepak Takraw meet. While Panjab University claimed that the Patiala-based university had claimed points in a wrong manner.

A committee member in the Ministry of Sports, requesting anonymity, said that keeping aside all the controversies, it was decided to award the trophy to Punjabi University. “We have decided to the award the MAKA Trophy to Punjabi University,” said the member.

“There were some objections but we have ignored all of these as it’s a sensitive matter. The player kept the university (Panjab) in the dark about admission in another university. The university is not at fault. And on the basis of the points claimed, Punjabi University had been emerged as the winners,” the member added. When asked about the player who kept the authorities in the dark, he added, “What action we can take? Many players do these kinds of things. All we can do is issue a warning to universities to check the loophole in future.”

Punjabi University bagged the MAKA Trophy after leading the points table with a total of 89,635. Panjab University is second with 66,495 points while Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, is in third place with 50,640 points.

Allegations

• In the points' review meeting, both Panjab University Chandigarh and Punjabi University Patiala, levelled serious allegations against each other. The Patiala University has alleged that the Panjab University had fielded an ineligible player in the All-India Inter-University Sepak Takraw meet. While the Panjab University claimed that their closest rival for claiming the MAKA trophy had claimed points in a wrong manner. Punjabi University has bagged the MAKA trophy after leading the points' table with a total 89,635. points.