Sections of the AstroTurf removed from the Olympian Prithipal Singh Hockey Stadium at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) are being installed at the academy at Government Senior Secondary Smart School, Mundian Kalan, and Bondli village in Samrala.
Mundian Kalan is located on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road on the outskirts of the city.
The move is aimed at promoting hockey at the grassroots. The turf, part of the PAU’s International Hockey Federation (FIH’s)-approved surface that was recently taken up for relaying, is being reused instead of being discarded.
District Sports Officer Kuldeep Chugh said the turf was divided into four sections and its useable parts would be laid at Mundian Kalan and Malwa Khalsa College, Bondli. The other two sections are headed to Sangrur district, he added.
The state government has appointed Akwinderpreet Kaur, a Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS)-qualified hockey coach, to train young players at Mundian Kalan. She, along with Manpreet Singh —physical education lecturer at the school and also an NIS-qualified and Hockey India level-I coach — provides quality coaching to prepare the young talent for higher levels of the sport.
With access to quality training infrastructure, the facilities are expected to play a vital role in nurturing young talent, particularly promising female players from the villages and their surrounding areas.
Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian inaugurated the base work at Mundian Kalan in the presence of players, parents, villagers and sports enthusiasts. The ceremony marked the beginning of a long-awaited initiative aimed at providing modern hockey facilities to budding players.
Addressing the gathering, the minister congratulated the young athletes for bringing pride to Mundian Kalan through their achievements on the hockey turf. He described laying of the AstroTurf as a matter of personal satisfaction and gratitude.
“Our daughters (hockey players) have made us proud, and it is our responsibility to provide them the best possible facilities to pursue their dreams. The AstroTurf will become a breeding ground for future champions,” Mundian said.
Sports enthusiasts termed the development a milestone for grassroots hockey, expressing hope the facility will help nurture future champions from the region.
They expressed belief the availability of AstroTurf surfaces at the grassroots will play a crucial role in identifying and nurturing talent, enabling players from rural pockets of the state to train under conditions similar to those available at higher levels of competitions. They welcomed the decision of installing the surfaces in rural areas, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening the state’s hockey ecosystem.
Olympian Hardeep Singh Grewal said a lack of AstroTurf facilities in villages had often forced talented youngsters to travel long distances in search of quality training infrastructure. With AstroTurfs now being laid closer to their homes, young players will save time and resources, and gain the confidence and technical skills required to compete at higher levels, added Grewal.
He expressed confidence the facilities at Mundian Kalan, Malwa Khalsa College, Bondli and Sangrur would emerge as important centres for hockey development and help produce the next generation of players capable of representing the state and the country.
Colonel Jasjit Singh Gill, a former all-India university hockey player, said infrastructure was the foundation of sporting excellence. “When talented youngsters are provided with world-class facilities in their villages, their dreams become more achievable,” said Gill.
“The laying of AstroTurf surfaces in rural areas is an investment in the future of Indian hockey. The facilities will help talented youngsters pursue their careers without having to leave their villages, and will go a long way in helping them achieve their goals,” said Ajay Pal Singh Punia, former player and Hockey Ludhiana general secretary.
Hockey veteran Sukhwinder Singh said that with this development, Mundian Kalan has taken a significant step towards becoming a prominent centre for the sport’s development in the state.
