Sepak takraw not a big draw among city youngsters
Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 23
Sepak takraw, a Southeast Asian sport resembling kick volleyball, is struggling hard to make its impression in the Panjab University sports circle.
Only 12 teams (five men and seven women) are participating in the ongoing inter-college championship. Among the participating teams only one is from Punjab. Last year, Panjab University finished third in the All-India Inter-University Sepak Takraw Championship but the success has not translated into numbers.
“Last year we had ten teams in the championship. The local teams finished third in both the categories of the All-India Inter-University Sepak Takraw Championship. Even in Punjab, teams only from Chandigarh participate in the competition. We encourage the college students from Punjab to learn the basics and field teams but only one team has come this year,” said Bhupinder, Chandigarh Sepak takraw Association secretary.
The sport was introduced in Chandigarh in 2013 and since then the local team has participated only once in the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) nationals. “We get response only from the city colleges. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) introduced the sport in their calendar a few years back but Panjab University, Chandigarh, added it last year only. We have one coaching centre at Mount Carmel School, Sector 47. We had organised seminars and invited the teams from Punjab to make this championship a success but, I think, people are more interested in playing other sports,” he added.
In sepak takraw, players are allowed to use their feet, knee, chest and head to cross the woven ball over the net. It is a popular sport in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Coach Karma Maulik said, “Football and volleyball players play this sport usually. This is the only hope that makes us feel that players from Punjab will come in good numbers in future. We are also inviting teams from the eastern parts of India, where the game is popular, to play exhibition tournaments here.”
DAV College win powerlifting meet
DAV College, Sector 10, won the Panjab University Inter-College Powerlifting Championship for men. Arya College, Ludhiana, claimed the second position while GN College, Narangwal, finished third. Malwa College, Samrala, claimed the fourth position.
