Return of Rural Sports in Punjab

February 22, 2026

Sports are crucial in every person’s life. Sports promote health, enhance immunity, and instill a desire to stand on their own feet. Punjab’s athletes have achieved significant success in national and international competitions in the past. Hockey players from Punjab’s villages, especially Sansarpur near Jalandhar, have won numerous Olympic gold medals for the country. The golden history of hockey, the country’s national sport, cannot be written without the contributions of Punjab’s players. Cricket is currently the dominant force.

The T20 World Cup is currently underway. Punjab’s players have also been prominent in Indian cricket’s significant triumphs. Over time, Punjab began to lag behind in the sports world year after year. Punjab’s sports gradually became confined to the cities. A magnificent rural sports fair used to be held near Kila Raipur, Ludhiana, where bullock cart races and bullock races were major attractions. However, the previous government banned these sports following court observations on the issue of animal cruelty. These sports were a major attraction throughout India. Tourists from India and abroad visited these sports, providing entertainment and boosting the state’s coffers. These rural sports were a pride of Punjab, having been discontinued in the past.

Now, the current Bhagwant Mann government of Punjab has resumed these sports after a gap of 12 years on February 19, 2026, in Kila Raipur. Bullock cart races will be the main attraction. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that if rural youth participate in sports, they will not be drawn to drugs. This will automatically lead to a healthy generation in Punjab. It should be remembered that, whether urban or rural, the governments’ indifference to sports had also disheartened the youth because they lacked generous sports facilities.

Winning games didn’t yield significant rewards, and after retirement, players spent the rest of their lives without proper jobs and financial stability. We believe that guaranteeing economic security for athletes should be the first step. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s decision to launch rural sports is a correct one. He is absolutely right in saying that if youth remain involved in sports, they will stay away from the evils of drug addiction.