Chandigarh May 22 : Gatka team from Patiala today clinched ‘ISMAA Gatka Shield’ during state level Gatka tournament held at first All India Martial Arts Festival and Tournament concluded here at Panjab University gymnasium on Sunday.
This Gatka event was organised by the International Sikh Martial Art Academy (ISMAA) in which Gatka teams from dozen districts showcased their martial skills. The ISMAA chairman Harjeet Singh Grewal and deputy mayor MC Chandigarh Hardeep Singh Butrela inaugurated the tournament.
Disclosing this chief judge Avtar Singh Gatka Coach and Gurmeet Singh national coach informed that in Soti-Farri individual fight Gurpreet Singh Patiala won the title by defeating Jaswinder Singh of Fatehgarh Sahib and Parmider Singh came third in this category. Similarly in women event Harjinder Kaur Fatehgarh Sahib got first, Harmeet Kaur Patiala second and Rupinder Kaur from Bathinda got the third position. In Gatka weapons demonstrations Ludhiana achieved first place with best performance. Gatkebaaz from Bathinda got runners up whereas Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib got third position jointly.
Speaking on the occasion Deputy Mayor Hardeep Singh said Gatka is a self-defensive game which also imbibes cultural and traditional values among the youth. “It is need of the hour to promote this centuries old traditional sport so as to wean away the youth from the menace of habit forming drugs”, he added.
Chairman Grewal announced that ISMAA would compile an international directory of all Gatka Akharas running across the globe and affiliate them with the academy. Secretary Udhey Singh revealed that ISMAA has chalked out an exhaustive plan to organize martial art training camps, Gatka seminars and workshops in different states to train the budding players.
Among others present on the occasion included ISMAA finance secretary Baljit Singh, PRSI chairman Ashutosh Kapila, president All India Karate Do Association R.P. Singh, press secretary Harjinder Kumar, Harjit Singh Gill Bathinda, Baldev Singh Jalandhar, Kamaljit Singh Dhanas, Gurminder Singh Goldi.