Rajpal owes fitness to Panjab University

Neha Miglani, TNN

CHANDIGARH: The day he forgets the way to Panjab University sports ground, former India hockey captain Rajpal Singh would end up losing his fitness is how the ‘electric winger’ expresses his association with the varsity.

He has been a regular practitioner at the PU grounds over the last 11 years having started when he was still in school. A student of MPEd at the varsity now, Rajpal, who led India to clinch gold at the Azlan Shah Cup-2010 and Asian Champions Trophy in 2011, says he owes his fitness to PU.

Talking about Panjab University, former India hockey captain Rajpal Singh says, “I used to come here twice or thrice a day for practice during my college days.” While working out under the supervision of coach Gurmeet Singh, the head of department of physical education, PU, he adds: “For sportspersons, fitness is like a current account. We have to work on it every single day and improve it as we age.”

Rajpal had missed his BA-II exams from SGGS College-26 due to a crucial tournament he was playing in 2004. The Arjuna awardee then completed his graduation through PU correspondence course and enrolled for Bachelors in Physical Education (BPEd) at PU in 2010. He began his MPEd in 2011.

“I grasped the intricacies of team management and sports psychology with help of the theoretical study. I even learnt how to overcome a ‘plateau’ in sports in order to stretch your performance once you are playing your best,” adds Rajpal.

Gurmeet says even the best players reach their peak at times. They then have to understand the techniques which would help them exceed this level and grow further, he adds. Gurmeet helps Rajpal with fitness training and conditioning whenever he is here.

“His dedication and sincerity towards the game is unmatched. His academic association with PU continues because of his enthusiasm to pursue education,” says the coach. Rajpal was a special invitee at PU’s annual convocation last year where he was awarded his Bachelors degree in Arts.