Overall Khelo India title for PU

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Chandigarh, June 3

Panjab University (PU) has won the overall title of the 3rd Khelo India University Games (KIUG) that concluded at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) today.

The PU contingent won the overall championship by bagging 69 medals, including 26 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze. It was a neck-and-neck competition for the top position as Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, emerged second with 68 medals, including 24 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze. The defending champion, Jain University, Karnataka, were third with 16 gold, 10 silver and six bronze.

This is for the second time PU has won the overall trophy after winning the inaugural edition of the games in 2020, held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha. The contingent had won a total of 46 medals, including 17 gold, 19 silver and 10 bronze.

In the last edition of the games held at Jain University, Bengaluru, PU had finished overall third. Its contingent finished with 15 gold, nine silver and 24 bronze. Punjabi University, Patiala, finished fourth with 12 gold, 14 silver and eight bronze.

On the last day of the games, the women’s fencing team of PU claimed bronze in the foil event while the men’s team claimed third position in the sabre event. In the 100+ kg event, judoka Jitesh Dagar won bronze.

On Friday, PU claimed overall trophy in boxing by bagging two gold, one silver and two bronze. Pugilist Mandeep Kaur defeated Kirti of Lovely Professional University 3:2 to win gold in the women’s 60kg category, while Komal overpowered Kanishka of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda to win gold in the 81kg event. Mannu Nimavat lost to Deepika of Himachal Pradesh University to settle with silver in the 66kg event. Rachita Dudy (70 kg) and Komal (50 kg) finished their campaigns with bronze.

PU’s judoka Keshav won gold in the -66kg category and Jatin got bronze in the -60kg event. Aryan won bronze in the -73kg category.

“The players have done a fairly good job and it’s a matter of pride to claim the overall trophy twice, and third position once, in the three editions of the games. Our rowing contingent got 11 gold medals, while shooters got six. Athletes bagged three gold, while boxers and swimmers claimed two each. A gold each in judo and wrestling helped us gain lead against our nearest rivals,” said Dr Gurcharan Singh Gill, University Contingent Manager.

Chitkara University

The Chitkara University contingent won four medals, including one gold, one silver and two bronze. The men’s table tennis team claimed the overall title on the last day of the games. In the final, Chitkara University defeated Chandigarh University 3-0. The women’s table tennis team defeated Punjab University 3-2 to claim the bronze medal. Pugilist Pranshu Rathore defeated Neha of BBAMU University, Maharashtra, to claim bronze in the women’s (70-75kg) event. Wrestler Bipasha defeated Simranjeet Kaur of Punjabi University 10-0 to win silver in the 76 kg event. Pro Chancellor Madhu Chitkara congratulated the medals winners.

Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University bagged 16 medals, including seven gold, five silver and four bronze, to grab 11th spot. The contingent also won the overall trophy in women’s weightlifting. A total of 82 players represented the university. Malak Singh (rowing), Harvinder Singh Cheema (rowing), Vijay Malik (wrestling-men), Prince (athletics), Akash Kumar (fencing) and Ashwani (weightlifting) won gold medals for the university. The university also bagged five silver medals, one each in kabaddi, rowing, swimming, table tennis and wrestling. Its haul also includes four bronze, two in rowing and one each in weightlifting and weightlifting. Pro-Chancellor (Dr) RS Bawa congratulated the winners.