BATALA: The life-size statue of the legendary hockey Olympian Surjit Singh Randhawa's statue was inaugurated at Hansli Chowk Batala.
Chairman of Sarbat Da Bhala Trust Surinder Pal Singh Oberoi, Hockey Olympian Brigadier Harcharan Singh, Surjit Singh's wife and International Hockey player Chanchal Randhawa and son Sarb Randhawa and MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi unveiled the statue.
Earlier, a sports convention of all clubs and sports organizations of the Gurdaspur district was organized at Shiv Batalvi Auditorium. The chief guest of the function Surinder Pal Singh Oberoi has announced financial assistance of Rs four lakh to the association for installing the statue.
The chief organizer and MLA from Batala Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was according to topmost priority sports. Sharing the message of Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, he said that a special development grant would be issued to the sportsmen's villages.
Chanchal Randhawa thanked the association for taking efforts in memory of Surjit Singh for 38 years.
Brigadier Harcharan Singh, a hockey Olympian and Surjit Singh's senior shared his memories of Surjit Singh from the school level on the playground while thanking the association for this special effort to keep the memory of the legendary player alive.
Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill said that the Gurdaspur district greatly contributed to the country's sports. He also suggested that a documentary must be made by preparing a database of sportsmen, sports, and sports nurseries of Gurdaspur. He said that Surjit Singh's biography would be released by next year to be penned by Navdeep Singh Gill.
While reading his keynote address, sports writer Navdeep Singh Gill said that we should recognize our sports gems and consider them a source of inspiration for the coming generation. Surjit Singh was the only Indian player to have his village in his name, two stadia, academy, a society, an association, a tournament, awards and two statues named after him.
Prominent among those present included at the occasion District Planning Board Chairman Jagroop Singh Sekhwa, Dr. SS Nijjar, Improvement Trust Chairman Naresh Goyal, Pirthipal Singh, Nishan Singh Randhawa, Principal Baljit Singh Kala Nangal, Prof Parminder Kaur, Engineer Jagdish Pal, Principal Swaran Singh Virk, Principal Sukhwant Singh Gill, Surjeet Singh's son Sarab Randhawa and other family members.