Olympian Pargat Singh is general secretary of ‘Hockey Punjab’

CHANDIGARH - Olympian and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh has been nominated general secretary of the newly formed ‘Hockey Punjab’.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the state’s sports minister, was unanimously elected president of Hockey Punjab and he named Pargat Singh, a Padma Shri awardee, as general secretary Tuesday.

Four hockey federations - including Punjab Hockey Association (for both men and women) and the Pepsu Hockey Association (for both men and women)- have been brought under the umbrella of Hockey Punjab.

Pargat Singh in February this year had successfully organised the Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chandigarh, in which international teams like Germany and the Netherlands had also participated alongwith India.

Following the directives of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the International Hockey Federation (IHF), various hockey associations of Punjab were merged together to form an integrated organisation Hockey Punjab, a few weeks back.

The importance of Hockey Punjab can be gauged from the fact that Punjab is one of the first states to follow the directives of supreme body.

Badal also nominated other members of Hockey Punjab, which has been formulated to promote the national sport in this state that has produced exceptional talent.

Akali Dal leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia and Punjab’s Director General of Police P.S. Gill were elected senior vice-presidents of the panel. Six vice-presidents, one treasurer, four joint secretaries and six executive committee members were also nominated on the Hockey Punjab panel.

Selection committee, for both men and women, media committee, umpiring committee and coaching penal was also selected by Badal.