MAKA trophy: 25-time winner GNDU slips to 3rd spot

The Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) that won the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy for sports excellence for a record 25 times, missed out on the top position this year. The GNDU was announced as the second runners-up by the Ministry of Sports.

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Surprisingly, Chandigarh University won the first position while Lovely university came second. The winners were announced along with the list of national sports awardees.

The announcement gave a heartburn to the GNDU whose athletes have won 30 medals at international-level, including in Asian Games and World University Games during the 2023-24 calender year.

This year’s winners for the trophy were decided solely on the basis of performance at the Khelo India University Games, with its winner also bagging the MAKA Trophy.

“This abrupt alteration in the evaluation criteria undermines the core essence of the award, which has traditionally recognised the overall excellence of universities in fostering multiple sports events. The evaluation was earlier done viewing performance in various international sports events, inter-university games, Khelo India University Games and Khelo India Youth Games,” said Kanwar Mandeep Singh, Director Sports, GNDU.

“The Khelo India University Games has representation in only 20 sports while the All-India Inter-University Games encompass over 70 sports disciplines,” said Kanwar Mandeep Singh.

Lovely University too has raised concern over hasty implementation of the revised criteria for awarding the trophy this year. “A letter was received from the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, about the revised criteria in October. It mentioned that from year 2024 onwards, the MAKA Trophy will be given to winners of the Khelo India University Games. But the academic session begins in April 2024. So, this mid-season implementation of the revised rule is an anomaly,” shared Dr Saurabh Lakhanpal, Director, Sports, Lovely University.

While the GNDU’s Director Sports has written to the All-India University Association to urge the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs to review the criteria, this has also put a spotlight on the budgetary gaps between private and state universities. Among the state universities, the GNDU boasts of having a robust sports programme, offering coaching and mentoring in 40 sports disciplines.

The GNDU earmarks a budget of Rs 8-9 crore for its sports programme.