43rd Akalgarh football tourney concludes on high note

The 43rd Annual Football Tournament, organised at village Akalgarh, concluded on a high note, leaving behind memorable moments for players and spectators alike. The tournament was dedicated to the revered memory of Shaheed S Gurbachan Singh Akalgarh, who laid down his life during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and S Narinder Singh Akalgarh, a world record holder renowned for pulling weight with his teeth.

Organised by Dashmesh Sports Club Akalgarh with the support of NRI brethren, the village panchayat and local residents, the sporting event was held at Narinder Singh Memorial Sports Stadium, Akalgarh. The open club-level final witnessed an intense and thrilling contest in which the host team Akalgarh defeated Bhabyana in a closely fought match to lift the trophy along with the cash prize, drawing loud applause from the packed stands.

In the 50 kg weight category final, the Palahi team outplayed Akalgarh to secure the trophy. Adding to the excitement of the tournament, a district-level girls’ exhibition match proved to be a major attraction, with the Jalandhar district team emerging victorious and earning appreciation for their spirited performance.

Several prominent dignitaries graced the occasion, including Aam Aadmi Party state spokesperson and Phagwara constituency in-charge Harnoor Singh Mann, Kapurthala district president Sarabjit Singh Lubana, Jaspreet Singh Billu (Block Samiti Member, Bhullarai), Panchayat Union Block Phagwara president Narinder Singh (Sarpanch, Madhopur), former Block Samiti Chairman Gurdial Singh Bhullarai, and retired Principal Nirmal Singh. The guests congratulated the winning teams and lauded the organizers for successfully hosting the tournament. They remarked that such events not only instill patriotism among the youth but also motivate them to excel in sports and bring pride to their villages and families.

The prizes were jointly distributed by the organizing committee, the sports club, and NRI supporters. Organisers Bhai Lal Singh and Dharminder Singh Laddi stated that the primary objective of the annual tournament is to encourage youth to stay away from drugs and channel their energy towards sports while honouring the memories of distinguished personalities from the village.

Among those present on the occasion were Head Granthi Bhai Gurdev Singh of Gurdwara Sri Singh Sabha Akalgarh, NRI Tarsem Singh Kalotia (USA), Rana Akalgarh, Harnek Singh Laddi, Bhagat Gurdial Singh, Sarpanch Meena Saini, former Sarpanch Satnam Singh Ladda, Jaswant Singh (ex-serviceman), senior football player Kala Kalsi, along with numerous other social figures and a large number of sports enthusiasts, who collectively contributed to making the tournament a grand success.