GATKA show included in the Republic Day celebrations
By Amrit Pal Sidhu Brar
Bathinda, 25 January 2023: In a significant decision, Gatka show a traditional Sikh martial art has been included in the cultural programs to be presented during the 74th Republic Day celebrations to be held in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh stadium of Bathinda.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will unfurl the national flag on 26th January.
Gatka is an only one of its kind and inexpensive art to defend & display fighting skills and a better exercise for self-control. Gatka originated in the Punjab long time ago. There has been a revival during the 20th century, with an International Gatka Federation was founded in 1982 and gatka is now popular as a sport or sword dance performance art and is often shown during Sikh festivals.
Manmeet Singh Sidhu Advocate and Gursewak Singh Sidhu Advocate welcomed the decision of the district administration to include the Gatka show in the Republic Day program.They said Gatka is emerging popular and last year National Gatka Association of India (Regd) organised 10th National Gatka Championship 2022 (Men) at Panjab University, Chandigarh in which 16 teams participated.
