The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy for all-round best performance by a varsity in a year brings up the rear on the scale of popularity attached to the awards given away by the President on the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand which is celebrated as `National Sports Day'.

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, claimed the latest award for its performance during 1996-97 carving a special place for itself with its 13th triumph in 21 years to equal Delhi's record for the trophy instituted in 1956-57.

Sports at the varsity level, which once held much glamour as hordes of young stars graduated to represent India, today is crying for rejuvenation with even the Rohington Baria Trophy tournament for Inter-University supremacy in cricket slowly fading into oblivion.

Amidst such a slump, Punjab remains wedded to the uplift of sports at the college level as amply reflected in the performance of GND University, founded in 1969, and Panjab University, Chandigarh as 12-time winners of the Azad trophy. Apart from Delhi's distinction, only Bombay (thrice) and Kurukshetra (Haryana) find place in the roll of honours to form an exclusive sporting club among varsities.

``There is a great sports culture in the colleges under GND University. We have been able to create such an atmosphere and principals of all the colleges under us have keenly promoted sports,' the varsity Director of Sports, Kanwaljeet Singh said after collecting the running trophy from President K R Narayanan alongwith Pro-Vice Chancellor Inderpal Singh.

The list of stars to emerge from the GND University stables is enviable with former India hockey captain Pargat Singh and his woman counterpart Rajbir Kaur, former India cricket captain Bishan Singh Bedi, Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath, Madan Lal and international wrestler Kartar Singh among the best.

Colleges located in the five districts of Amritsar, Jalandar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala and Nawanshahar in the north-west border areas of India which come under GND University have always imparted excellent training with coaches showing lot of dedication, Inderpal Singh said.

Pointing out the special reason for excellence by the two Punjab universities, Kanwaljeet Singh said, ``If you notice there are a number of Arjuna Awardees also who were from our university, and many of them are from the rural areas.''

GND University's focus on holding separate competitions among colleges set up in rural areas has consistently ensured that sportspersons who would otherwise have been overwhelmed competing with better-endowed rivals from urban areas, gain lot of confidence winning at a certain level before moving up. ``Competing at this `B' level competitions makes it easy for them to do well at the `A' grade later on,'' Kanwaljeet Singh added.

Colleges take extra interest in absorbing talented youth and provide funds, free hostel facilities to the economically underprivileged and cash awards for performances.

GND University entered the race for the Maulana Azad Trophy only in 1970-71, but has since then won it 13 times and has been adjudged runner-up eight times apart from coming third overall twice to reveal its consistency.

Inderpal Singh however was not satisfied with the Rs one lakh grant that goes with the trophy for buying sports equipment. ```It is a meagre amount. The government should increase it to around Rs 10 lakh so that the winning varisty can provide scholarships, diet money and build its sports infrastructure.''