Last month, the Asian Champions Trophy turned Jalandhar into a hockey hub, with the sport taking centre stage across the district. The excitement is poised to continue, with two more major tournaments lined up till December.
The district will host the 43rd IndianOil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament this month, followed by the 20th All India S Balwant Singh Kapur Memorial Hockey Tournament in December. Both events are among the most anticipated fixtures on Jalandhar’s annual sporting calendar.
Jalandhar witnessed a hockey celebration as thousands of fans thronged the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium to watch India, Korea, Japan, China, Bangladesh and Malaysia compete in the Asian Champions Trophy. Matches held in Mohali, too, drew enthusiastic crowds, reflecting the renewed interest in hockey throughout the state.
The presence of over 10,000 spectators at the stadium was a proof of the popularity of hockey in Punjab and Jalandhar’s special place in the sport’s history. The 43rd IndianOil Servo Surjit Hockey Tournament will begin on November 22 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park, Jalandhar.
Adding to the excitement, the 20th edition of the All-India S Balwant Singh Kapur Memorial Hockey Tournament for the Mata Parkash Kaur Cup is slated to begin in December and will continue for a week. The tournament is organised for boys in the Under-19 category. For the past two decades, a family has been organising the tournament in memory of its parents, keeping alive their father’s name and contribution through the promotion of hockey.
The five brothers—Gursaran Singh (90), Harbhajan Singh (87), Manjit Singh (84), Tirath Singh (76) and Hardeep Singh (67), may have grown older since they introduced the competition in 2004, but their enthusiasm remains undiminished. Their determination to carry forward their parents’ legacy and offer a platform for young hockey athletes has remained as strong as ever.
Punjab has always shared a deep rooted connection with hockey. Villages like Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur have produced generations of athletes who have brought laurels to the nation. Together, these villages have given India 20 Olympians, underlining the Jalandhar extraordinary contribution to the sport.
