Need to start Gatka Akharas in villages to conserve heritage - Harjeet Singh Grewal

Traditional Gatka event organized at Sri Anandpur Sahib, International Gatka Academy aims to include Gatka in the Olympics

5 Dariya News

Roopnagar/Shri Anandpur Sahib 01-Mar-2018

International Sikh Martial Arts Academy (ISMAA) and National Gatka Association of India (NGAI) today organised fourth Virsa Sambhal Hola Mohalla Gatka Cup on the auspicious occasion of Hola Mohalla at Sri Anandpur Sahib in which top Gatka teams have stunned the audience with their martial art skills.This traditional Gatka event organized with the support of Gatka Association of Punjab and District Gatka Association Roopnagar was inaugurated by chairman of ISMAA Harjeet Singh Grewal in the presence of Baba Sher Singh Mahoraana, Jathedar Jagmittar Singh and ISMAA senior vice chairman Raghbir Chand Sharma.Addressing the participants Gatka promoter Grewal, who is also president of NGAI said the Gatka game has very bright future and youngsters should be motivated to preserve culture, heritage and mother tongue by taking part in traditional Gatka game and start Gatka Akharas in all villages to impart training to children so that martial art could become a popular game. Grewal urged all political, religious and social organizations to promote Gatka in all countries so that this game could be included in the Olympics.

ISMAA Chairman encouraged youngsters to engage in traditional sports and in connection to this he said that Gatka game should be adopted to keep away the youth from drug addiction."This ancient sport would inculcate good habits among the youth because Gatka keeps our body hale and hearty and develops good thoughts in human minds.While speaking on the occasion Jagmittar Singh of Gurdwara Kot Poran Rupnagar lauded the efforts of ISMAA to protect heritage by promoting Gatka game at national level and assured that he would fully support ISMAA to organize such tournaments.Among others present on the occasion included General Secretary of Haryana Gatka Association Sukhchain Singh Kalasani, ISMAA Joint Secretary Joginder Pal and Gurmeet Singh, Finance Secretary Baljit Singh Saini, President of District Gatka Association Rupnagar Amarjit Singh Saini, District Coordinator ISMA Mohali Yograj Singh, Assistant Public Relations Officer Rupnagar Harish Kalra and Engineer Varun Bharadwaj Incharge IT Cell ISMA. On this occasion all Gatka teams were presented with cash awards.