The five-day grand sports festival organized at Seechewal village in memory of the 38th annual Barsi Smagam of Sant Avtar Singh Ji concluded on a high note, leaving unforgettable memories for sports enthusiasts and athletes alike. The event witnessed participation from more than 250 teams and over 2,500 players, setting a new benchmark for the tournament.
The sports festival continues to serve as an important platform where young athletes get opportunities to showcase their talent on a larger stage. Competitions in hockey, wrestling, volleyball, kabaddi, and athletics were organized during the five-day event. Punjab’s traditional and most-loved sport, kabaddi, kept both players and spectators engaged until late into the night on the final day of the festival.
The thrilling kabaddi and volleyball matches held at Sant Avtar Singh Memorial Stadium remained the center of attraction throughout the event. In particular, the Open Kabaddi category featured participation from more than 42 teams, making the competition highly competitive and exciting. The outstanding performances by players and the tremendous enthusiasm of spectators ensured that chants of “Kabaddi-Kabaddi” continued to resonate across the stadium until midnight.
In the finals played on the concluding day, Seechewal teams emerged victorious in both the Open and 70-kg Kabaddi categories, earning loud applause from the crowd. The Open Kabaddi final between Seechewal and Baba Sukhchain Dass Sports Club Bajwan Kalan kept spectators on the edge of their seats until the very last moments.
Similarly, the 70-kg category final between Seechewal and Sabi Club Mallian provided thrilling entertainment for sports lovers. These matches continued until around midnight.
Young players also displayed remarkable talent in the junior kabaddi categories. In the 30-kg weight category, the Fatehgarh Sahib team secured first place, while Madhopur Jalowal finished second. In the 45-kg category, Seechewal emerged as champions, while Baba Ghumman Club Faridkot claimed the runner-up position.
In the 55-kg volleyball category, Bhojowal secured first place, while Kot Khalsa (Amritsar) finished second. In the Open Volleyball category, Dhaliwal Bet won the championship title, while Kala Sanghian finished as runners-up. The sports competitions were formally inaugurated by Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.
Several prominent personalities attended the sports festival, including Sant Amrik Singh Khukhrain, Sant Gurmez Singh Saidrana Sahib, Sant Pragat Nath Ji, Sant Gurcharan Singh Pandwa Wale, AAP constituency in-charge Pinder Pandori from Shahkot, Surjit Singh Santi, Sarpanch Joga Singh, Sarpanch Boota Singh, former Sarpanch Tajinder Singh, Principal Kulwinder Singh, Gurvinder Singh, and Coach Gurbir Dhillon, among others.
Appeal to Players to Plant Five Trees Each
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal appealed to the more than 2,500 athletes participating in the sports festival to plant at least five trees each. He emphasized that youth are the greatest strength behind any social movement and stated that if they actively participate in environmental conservation efforts, Punjab can once again become green and prosperous. Players were honored during the event and were also presented with saplings.
Sports Festival Becomes a Major Attraction for the Punjabi Diaspora
The sports festival also attracted significant attention from Punjabis living abroad. Despite differences in time zones across countries, members of the Punjabi diaspora followed the competitions closely through social media. Overseas Punjabis generously contributed financial support to encourage players participating in the exciting contests.
Punjabis residing in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries eagerly await this festival every year and continue to provide valuable financial support for its successful organization.