- Sep 20, 2004
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Kabaddi team comprising ‘sabat surat’ players to participate in overseas event
Amritsar, July 14
While the SGPC has made significant contribution in the field of religion, education and healthcare over the years, it has also started focusing on sports over the last few months and the formation of its kabaddi team, comprising “sabat surat” (a Sikh with full grown and uncut hair and beard) players, is another step in this direction.
Preparing Role Models
Dalmegh said, “I witnessed a few matches of the International Kabaddi Tournament organised by the state government last year. I noticed that though Indian teams had many players with “Singh” suffixed to their names, none of them was a “sabat surat” Sikh, which prompted me to think about a team having all Sikh players.”
He then began his search for “sabat surat” Sikh kabaddi players, which, he said, was not an easy job. It took him eight to 10 months to prepare a team, picking the best players from different parts of Punjab. “As kabaddi in Punjab has become a huge money spinner over the last few years, most of the best players are engaged with various academies. Moreover, we were not looking for best players but for best Sikh players, which made our hunt a little tougher,” he said.
The SGPC has made an attempt to establish this team as a role model for the youth of Punjab who are falling prey to apostasy and drug addiction.
Dalmegh said they have not only made lodging and boarding arrangements for their team at Fatehgarh Sahib but have also provided them with an AC bus to travel for participating in tournaments. “Each player draws a salary of Rs 10,000 per month, besides free lodging and boarding. We also ensure that our players get rich diet comprising milk and dry fruits etc, on which we are spending around Rs 10,000 per month for each player. We have also given them strict instructions to stay away from food supplements and energy boosting drugs,” he averred.
Apart from the salary, the players also get their share in prize money whenever they win a tournament. The SGPC is also grooming the budding kabaddi players alongside training its team with the help of its coach Major Singh.
Dalmegh strongly advocated the need for anti-dope test among kabaddi players in Punjab. He said they would themselves have a mechanism in place to ensure that all the players in their team are dope-free. He said kabaddi has become commercialised over the last few years and the use of banned drugs among the players cannot be ruled out.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110715/punjab.htm#7
Amritsar, July 14
While the SGPC has made significant contribution in the field of religion, education and healthcare over the years, it has also started focusing on sports over the last few months and the formation of its kabaddi team, comprising “sabat surat” (a Sikh with full grown and uncut hair and beard) players, is another step in this direction.
Preparing Role Models
- SGPC kabaddi team only has "sabat surat" Sikhs, the ones with full grown, uncut hair and beard
- Aim is to establish the team as a role model for Punjabi youth who are falling prey to apostasy and drug addiction
- Each player is being paid a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 apart from free board and lodging and food
Dalmegh said, “I witnessed a few matches of the International Kabaddi Tournament organised by the state government last year. I noticed that though Indian teams had many players with “Singh” suffixed to their names, none of them was a “sabat surat” Sikh, which prompted me to think about a team having all Sikh players.”
He then began his search for “sabat surat” Sikh kabaddi players, which, he said, was not an easy job. It took him eight to 10 months to prepare a team, picking the best players from different parts of Punjab. “As kabaddi in Punjab has become a huge money spinner over the last few years, most of the best players are engaged with various academies. Moreover, we were not looking for best players but for best Sikh players, which made our hunt a little tougher,” he said.
The SGPC has made an attempt to establish this team as a role model for the youth of Punjab who are falling prey to apostasy and drug addiction.
Dalmegh said they have not only made lodging and boarding arrangements for their team at Fatehgarh Sahib but have also provided them with an AC bus to travel for participating in tournaments. “Each player draws a salary of Rs 10,000 per month, besides free lodging and boarding. We also ensure that our players get rich diet comprising milk and dry fruits etc, on which we are spending around Rs 10,000 per month for each player. We have also given them strict instructions to stay away from food supplements and energy boosting drugs,” he averred.
Apart from the salary, the players also get their share in prize money whenever they win a tournament. The SGPC is also grooming the budding kabaddi players alongside training its team with the help of its coach Major Singh.
Dalmegh strongly advocated the need for anti-dope test among kabaddi players in Punjab. He said they would themselves have a mechanism in place to ensure that all the players in their team are dope-free. He said kabaddi has become commercialised over the last few years and the use of banned drugs among the players cannot be ruled out.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110715/punjab.htm#7
