The North News
Chandigarh, July 30
A new book chronicling the rich sporting legacy of India’s police forces was launched at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) campus in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Titled Ever Onwards, the book is authored by former Director General of Police (DGP) Rajdeep Singh Gill and was formally released by ex-DGP M.S. Bhullar and PAP ADGP M.F. Farooqui. The event saw a gathering of international athletes from the Punjab Police, BSF and CRPF, as well as decorated sportspersons and award winners from across the country.
This is the first book ever written on the All India Police Games, covering results from 1951 to 2010. It also includes biodata and photographs of top-performing athletes and teams, records of each annual event, and details from related competitions such as equestrian and shooting meets from the Police Duty Games.
Speaking at the launch, M.S. Bhullar praised the book as a pioneering effort in preserving police sporting history. “Punjab Police has always stood tall for its duty and discipline, but our sporting achievements truly set us apart,” he said. ADGP M.F. Farooqui called Bhullar and Gill “icons” in Punjab Police history. He also highlighted recent accomplishments of Punjab Police athletes at the World Police Games in the United States.
Author Rajdeep Singh Gill described the 10-year journey behind compiling the book as “herculean”, noting the difficulty of gathering scattered data from state and central offices, retired athletes, libraries, and archives. “Neither the All India Police Sports Control Board nor any central authority maintained complete records,” he said, adding that the contribution of his assistant Mohinder Singh was crucial to the project’s completion.
The book also includes the achievements of mountaineers and expands beyond traditional sports to showcase a more inclusive view of police sporting culture.
The launch event featured emotional tributes from Olympic hockey medalist Surinder Singh Sodhi, Arjuna Awardee Sajjan Singh Cheema, and Padma Shri shot putter Bahadur Singh. They credited officers like Ashwani Kumar, M.S. Bhullar, and Rajdeep Gill for nurturing talent within the force.
Sports journalist Navdeep Singh Gill, who conducted the event, remarked in his keynote that Punjabis are often accused of forgetting their own history. “But with this book, we are not just remembering it — we’re preserving it for future generations.”
Notable attendees included Padma Shri athlete Sunita Rani, Dhyan Chand Awardees Kuldeep Singh Bhullar and Sucha Singh, Olympian Sandeep Kumar, and a host of national and international players, coaches, and dignitaries.
