Govt sports school hostel undergoes Rs1-cr overhaul

Renovation work has begun at the hostel of the Government Senior Secondary State School of Sports, marking a significant step towards improved facilities for budding athletes.

A budget of Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned for the project, which aims to provide a state-of-the-art living facility for students. In the meantime, hostel residents have been relocated to the nearby sports college hostel to ensure uninterrupted stay and training.

Founded in 1961 as a cradle for future sports stars, the school was established with its foundation stone laid by Punjab’s first Chief Minister, Partap Singh Kairon. The original hostel, also constructed in the same year, has housed generations of athletes but had visibly deteriorated over time.

Last year, The Tribune reported on the dilapidated condition of the facility. During a visit, the reporter observed ceilings covered in cobwebs and ageing fans that barely circulated air.

With the launch of the renovation project, hopes are high that aspiring athletes will soon benefit from modern amenities and an environment better suited for training and development.

The school conducts annual sports trials in disciplines including gymnastics, boxing, volleyball and swimming. Selected students are provided free hostel accommodation and the school fee is kept nominal to ensure accessibility.

Among its distinguished alumni is hockey Olympian and current Jalandhar Cantt MLA, Pargat Singh, who reminisced about his days at the old hostel during the 1980s in an earlier interview with The Tribune. The institution also takes pride in producing Olympians and Arjuna awardees such as Surjit Singh (hockey), Tejbir Singh (hockey) and Bahadur Singh (athletics). The renovation marks a hopeful chapter in the school’s legacy, further strengthening its mission to nurture sporting excellence in Punjab.