Kar Sewa sect sets up sports academy to promote hockey in rural areas
The Kar Sewa sect in Sarhali, founded in 1960 by Baba Tara Singh, who preferred not to get married and instead decided to devote his life in the services of the Almighty by remaining active in the field of religion and promote education in rural and backward areas has now come forward to promote sports.
The sect, under the guidance of Baba Sukha Singh, who is its present head, has established ‘Baba Tara Singh Sports Academy’, spread over seven acres of land in Sarhali.
The new session of the academy was started recently by invoking the blessings of the Almighty and organising a Gurmit Samagam.
Baba Sukha Singh, head of the sect, informed that in the initial stage, 40 players under the age of 14 and 17, were selected in trials for which as many 350 candidates from Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Ferozepur districts participated.
Baba Sukha Singh said that facilities for boarding and lodging along with free education will be provided to the practising players in the academy. Security cover and guidance is also being provided to the players by teachers round the clock.
Baba Sukha Singh said the aim of the sect is to promote players at the international level in the game of hockey game for which trained coaches have been arranged. Playgrounds conforming to world standards have been constructed. Baba Sukha Singh said the academy has been planning to organise world-level hockey tournaments from time to time to promote the game. The sect has reserved a specific amount to promote hockey in the academy. Baba Sukha Singh said that outstanding hockey players should be trained by coaches of international repute, for better performance, at its own expenditure.
Baba Sukha Singh has special affection for sports promotion. The players of Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Sarhali, too has produced national-level kabaddi players. The college was established with the efforts of Baba Tara Singh, founder of the Kar Sewa sect in 1970, and the kabaddi team has remained on top in sports tournaments at the university level.
Dr Jasbir Singh Gill, principal of the college, said the student players of the college also take part in tournaments organised in other countries by the local sports clubs.
The Kar Sewa sect gained much affection in the year 2023 when because of floods, breaches occurred in the Beas and Sutlej rivers. Baba Sukha Singh came forward to the rescue of flood affected farmers. A farmer himself, Baba Sukha Singh worked hard in the rescue operations during the floods with “kahi" (manual tool used in agriculture for digging and weeding) in his hands. The sect is active in social, sports and other public welfare activities besides the religious field.
Amritsar