Despite rich sports legacy, Kairon school cries for attention

The Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Kairon, which has produced many international-level players, is facing neglect despite its rich sports legacy. For decades, the school’s strength was over 1,200 students.

There were coaches for hockey, handball, basketball and athletics, besides a hostel facility for about 400 students. Athletes were imparted coaching in the morning and evening hours. The girls from the school had represented hockey and handball teams at the national and international levels many times. Mandeep Kaur Cheema from the school was an Asian gold medallist in 400 metres race. The prominent hockey players from the school included Kirandeep Kaur and Shashi Jaggi. Gursimran Ladi and Harsimranat Kaur were international handball players. Paramjit Kaur Virk had brought laurels in discus throw, while Sarabjit Kaur was a national-level hammer thrower.

The school had a fair representation in national-level sports competitions for decades. Who would have thought that the school with such a rich legacy in sports would one day face neglect? During the Covid period when sports activities came to a halt and parents decided against sending their girls away from home, the Education Department stopped sports activities.

Leave alone sports wings or coaches, there are no teachers for physical education in the school. Ranjit Singh, former sarpanch, said the sports activities, which were carried out throughout the day, had been totally stopped now. He said as the girl students were not taking part in sports, they were unable to give their best in physical tests for recruitment in the police department or para-military forces.

With a purpose to impart religious education to girls, the school was set up over a century ago, on February 12, 1916, under the name ‘Mata Sahib Kaur Bhungan Ashram’ and with the efforts of Nihal Singh Kairon, father of Partap Singh Kairon, the Chief Minister of the undivided Punjab. Liberal donation had poured in for the construction of the building.

Amritsar