Panjab University Celebrates Sporting Excellence with Major Cash Awards
In a grand ceremony held on Wednesday, Panjab University (PU) honored its outstanding athletes who brought glory to the institution at the Khelo India University Games 2025. The university distributed substantial cash awards totaling an impressive Rs 1.67 crore to recognize the remarkable achievements of its sportspersons across multiple disciplines.
Vice-Chancellor Leads Felicitation Ceremony
The event was presided over by PU Vice-Chancellor Professor Renu Vig, who personally honored the medal-winning athletes, coaches, and managers. The felicitation encompassed participants from 15 diverse sports disciplines, demonstrating the university's broad-based sporting excellence. Among the celebrated disciplines were athletics, shooting, judo, boxing, kayak and canoe, and cycling, with special recognition given to Olympians who represented the university with distinction.
Notable Awardees and Their Achievements
The ceremony highlighted several exceptional performers who received significant cash prizes for their medal-winning performances:
- Raiza Dhillon, the Olympian shooter, was awarded Rs 1.99 lakh for securing a gold medal in women's skeet shooting.
- Simranpreet Kaur Brar earned one of the highest cumulative prizes of Rs 2.74 lakh for her outstanding performance in the 25m pistol events.
- In kayak and canoe events, Pushpa Yadav emerged as the highest cash awardee with Rs 3.63 lakh, followed by Nikki (Rs 3.33 lakh) and Alpana Sahni (Rs 3.03 lakh).
- Olympic medalist Sarabjot and Manya Mittal each received Rs 2.84 lakh for multiple podium finishes in shooting competitions.
- Mehak Singh was awarded Rs 1.99 lakh for winning gold in the 52kg judo category.
- Boxer Akshay Kumar received Rs 1.99 lakh for his gold medal victory in the 80kg category.
Coaches and managers were also recognized with separate cash incentives for their crucial roles in guiding and supporting the athletes to success.
University Leadership's Vision and Support
During her address, Professor Renu Vig congratulated all the athletes and emphasized the significant challenge of winning medals at national-level inter-university competitions due to intense competition. She urged players to focus on securing maximum gold medals to help Panjab University reclaim the prestigious MAKA Trophy, which the institution has won an impressive 16 times in its history.
In a significant announcement, the Vice-Chancellor revealed that the university would adopt a liberal and sympathetic approach toward genuine academic difficulties faced by sportspersons. This policy specifically addresses situations where important competitions and coaching camps conflict with examination schedules, ensuring that athletes do not have to choose between their academic and sporting careers.
Acknowledging Collaborative Efforts
Director of Sports Dr. Rakesh Malik expressed gratitude toward the university leadership, affiliated colleges, and coaches from Punjab and the Union Territory sports department for their unwavering support. He highlighted how this collaborative effort was instrumental in bringing laurels to Panjab University and creating an environment where athletes can excel both academically and in their chosen sports.
The felicitation ceremony not only celebrated past achievements but also set the stage for future sporting excellence, with Panjab University demonstrating its strong commitment to nurturing athletic talent alongside academic development.
