The theme was healthier life style with focus on fitness.

CHICAGO "PUNJABI SPORTS FESTIVAL 2011"
“BROWN MAMBAS” CLINCHES BASKETBALL CUP
17th annual two day sports festival on August 6 & 7, 2011 at Community Park in Addison Illinois.

Chicago, Aug 31, 2011
R.S. Mago

:The admission, food, and unlimited bottled water were free at this Punjabi Community of Chicago’s annual fun fair “Punjabi Sports Festival 2011.” More than 200 athletes took part in the tournament and more than 500 spectators enjoyed the games from under three large tents set up in the park. The weather was fair most of the day, but a heavy down pour in the morning forced the matches to be delayed due to wet grounds, also causing an early ending of the festival. Hotly contested volleyball games continued till late in the evening.

Fourteen Basketball teams, nine Volleyball teams, two Kabaddi teams, and  Soccer teams took part in the sports competition along with children who signed up at the spot for races. Ladies participated in an exhibition Tug-of-War rope pull. The players came from Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.

The Guru Nanak Sikh Society (GNS) Cincinnati Kabaddi team won the P.C.S. Kabaddi Championship Cup and the $1100 cash prize sponsored by Lovedeep Singh Dulat and Vikrant Singh. The Doaba Kabaddi Club Chicago won the runners-up cup and $500 cash prize sponsored by Balwinder Singh Girn. The best stopper in the game was Gopi from Cincinnati team, and the best raider of the game was a tie between Kala of Cincinnati and Amrik Gakhal of Doaba Club Chicago. Sukhchain Singh Brar, a famous Kabaddi commentator from Canada provided an interesting running commentary. Gurmit Singh Bath and Bhinder Singh Pamma were the referees.

The P.C.S. Basketball tournament was played indoors on August 6. The “Brown Mambas” basketball team won the first place $500 cash prize and the P.C.S. Basketball Championship Cup sponsored by Jarnail Singh Lail in loving memory of Kehar Singh Lail. The basketball runners-up cup went to “Chicago No Respect” team.

The juniors basketball championship was won by Gobi Bryant and the runners up were the Khalsa Team. The first prize was sponsored by Vimlan Tax Service.

The “Shawn Sinners” soccer team won the P.C.S. Soccer Cup & $500 cash award sponsored by Nick Gakhal.

The “Shaheed Bhagat Singh” volleyball team won the P.C.S. Volleyball Championship Cup in a strongly contested match with the “Sikh Center” Saint Louis, Mo team who became the runners-up. The volleyball cup and $500 cash prize was sponsored by Dr. Harjinder Singh Khaira. Bharpoor Singh Khalsa, Lali Nijjar and Baljit Singh Sidhu coordinated the matches.

 The ceremonial inauguration ceremonies of the festival were performed by the Honorable State of Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford and past mayor of village of Palatine Rita Mullins along with several other dignitaries and PCS officials including the chief guest Jarnail Singh Lail.

Maintaining their 17 years old festival tradition the participants gathered in the grounds with Punjabi Dhol drum beats by Sunny Sekhon. The festival was declared open by Rita Mullins by releasing a colorful bunch of helium balloons after a prayer song and American National Anthem sung by Navreet Heneghan.

All including the dignitaries celebrated the opening ceremonies with “Bhangra Aerobics” performed by Dancing Stars Global girls. The Amrit Seva Society International team performed the martial art “Gatka.” Well known Punjabi poet Major Singh Mauji entertained the audience with his humorous Punjabi poetry. Free delicious Punjabi food and B-B-Q, and bottled water were served all day.

This all day community event included many fun games for women and children including tug-of war. The children’s races were coordinated by Ronny Kular and Amarjit Kaur Atwal.

Several vendors set up their product display booths.

The DJ music was provided by Sun-shine DJ Rishpal Singh, photography by Gurmit Singh Dhillon and food was catered by K.K. Pamma of New India Restaurant.

The program was sponsored by Jarnail Singh Lail (Graiger Inc.), Balwinder Singh Girn, Happy Heer (Maharaja Restaurant), Lovedeep Singh Dulat, Vikrant Singh, Rishpal Singh (Sunshine DJ), K.K. Pamma (New India Restaurant), Asian American Seniors Association of Chicago, Baljit Singh Sidhu, Jarnail Singh and Joga Singh (New Hampshire), Jaswant Singh Bawa, Dr. Harjinder Singh Khaira, Harminder S. Khera, Jaidev Singh Bhathal (Punjab Auto Werks), Nick Gakhal (All State Transportation), Parminder Singh Ghotra, Harjinder Singh Sandhu (Sandhu Petroleum), Amarjit Kaur Atwal, Sukhmel Singh Atwal, Vimal & Milan Madhani (Vimlan Tax Services), P.H.O. Chicago, Niki and Sawaran Singh Sekhon, Amrit Pal Singh Sangha, Dr. Balwant Singh Hansra, and Harkirat Singh Sandhu.

The festival was organized by Balwinder Singh Girn, Arvinder Singh Gakhal, Baljit Singh Sidhu, Surinder Singh Sangha, Parminder Singh Ghotra, Pardeep Singh Deol, Mohinderjit Singh Saini, Onkar Singh Sangha, Sukhmel Singh Atwal, Amarjit Kaur Atwal, Sunny Kular, Ronny Kular, Bhinder Singh Pamma, Paul Lail, Yadwinder Singh Grewal, Bharpoor Singh, Gurmit Singh Bath, Surinder Singh Bhatia, Gurpreet Girn, Amrit Girn, and Rajinder Singh Mago.    

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