Water sports gaining momentum in Punjab
In 2008, when Amandeep Khairah moved from Patiala to pursue higher education at Guru Nanak Dev University, he also hoped to advance his career as a rowing athlete. At the time, water sports were far from mainstream in Punjab. Only a handful of athletes, shared Amandeep, took it up seriously — and fewer managed to continue.
A former national-level medallist and inter-university champion, Amandeep has since turned mentor and coach, training rural kids across Punjab. Making it his mission to develop water sports into a widely recognised discipline in a state known for its sporting talent, Amandeep coaches at a water sports academy in Sultanpur Lodhi, run by noted philanthropist and environmentalist Baba Seechewal.
The academy has already produced over 25 national medallists, four world championship medallists and currently trains 100 players in various water sport disciplines. Many of these athletes come from single-income or economically weaker families.
“We opened in 2014, knowing that water sports have huge potential in Punjab and offer exciting careers beyond traditional sports,” said Amandeep. “Since then, in collaboration with Guru Nanak Dev University, we’ve hosted events and trained children from nearby villages and other districts in canoeing, kayaking, rowing and dragon boat racing.”
The sports programme is free of cost and provides residential facilities, diet and other essential support to athletes. “Our youngest water sports athletes are just 10 years old. Three of them recently won medals in kayaking, canoeing and rowing at the Junior National Championships held in Bhopal earlier this year,” he added.
Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has also been actively promoting water sports as a promising non-conventional discipline. Over the past decade, the university has organised several water sports events and worked with sports associations and academies to support development in kayaking, canoeing and rowing.
GNDU offers numerous water sports facilities, including an Olympic-standard swimming pool and fosters opportunities for students through inter-college events and training camps. These camps often take athletes to established hubs such as Pathankot and Sultanpur Lodhi.
“Rowing and canoeing have seen tremendous growth in terms of participation. Athletes from outside Punjab are now coming to the state for the available infrastructure,” said Dr Kanwar Mandeep Singh, Sports Director, GNDU. “We now have functioning centres in Rupnagar, Pathankot, Sultanpur Lodhi and Ludhiana, where events and training are regularly held.”
Dr Singh highlighted the high cost of building water sports infrastructure — with equipment like customised boats and paddles costing between Rs 35–40 lakh. “Despite the challenges, we’ve produced three international-level water sports athletes and now four of our rowers will represent India in the World University Games scheduled to be held in Germany in July 2025.”
Pathankot, backed by the Ranjit Sagar Dam, is emerging as a strong candidate for a water sports hub. “It’s a conducive location for hosting national-level and even larger events, much like the Sports Authority of India hosts events at Ropar,” said Singh. “With further development, it could unlock immense potential for water sports in Punjab.”
Taking the initiative forward, Gunbir Singh — a member of the Advisory Board of The Indian Rafting Foundation (TIRF), founder president of the Punjab Association for Rafting & Adventure Sports (PARAAS) and an active environmentalist — has called for greater investment in water and adventure sports in the state.
Underlining that Punjab is preparing to enter the competitive adventure sports space with confidence, Singh hosted the 17th National Rafting Championship along the Satluj, calling it a significant step forward for water sports in the region.
Amritsar