Bullock cart races return to Punjab’s Kila Raipur Rural Olympics after 12 years

To ensure strict compliance with animal welfare norms, the district administration has constituted a high-powered committee to oversee the conduct of the bullock cart races. The committee will ensure adherence to the guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, the Punjab government, the PCA Act, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2019.

A press conference in this regard was held at Bachat Bhawan, Ludhiana, on Friday afternoon. It was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Amarjit Bains, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Ludhiana East) Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, President of Kila Raipur Sports Society (Patti Suhavia) Colonel Surinder Singh Grewal, General Secretary Gurvinder Singh, Coach Paramjit Singh, Gurinder Singh Grewal, Balraj Gaba, among others.

Earlier, the games were organised by the Kila Raipur Sports Society, but for the past few years, the Punjab government has been organising the event, popularly known as the Rural Olympics. Entries for the bullock cart races will be accepted only till 2 pm on January 29.

First Rural Olympics held in 1933

The Kila Raipur Rural Games, also known as the Rural Olympics, began in 1933 in Kila Raipur village and was founded by Inder Singh Grewal, a Kila Raipur resident, with the aim of promoting rural sports and traditional Punjabi culture.

The Grewal Sports Association organised the games for several decades. However, the association last conducted the event in 2018, after which it became embroiled in a legal dispute over ownership of the sports stadium. The dispute was resolved in 2023, when the case was won by the Patti Suhavia faction of the village.

From 2024 onwards, the Punjab government took charge of organising the games.

The previous Congress government had made efforts to revive bullock cart races. In 2019, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill to allow bullock cart races.

In February 2024, BJP national spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill met Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, seeking intervention for the resumption of the races, citing their cultural significance. A final go-ahead was granted last year, paving the way for the races to be held.

What’s in store at the Rural Olympics

As per the schedule shared by Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, the Rural Olympics will see a series of events:

• January 30: Hockey matches in boys’ and girls’ open categories, 1500m finals (boys and girls), 400m heats and finals, 60m races for primary school boys and girls, and bullock cart races from 12.15 pm are on the agenda. Cultural performances by Giddha, Bhangra and Nihang Singhs will also be part of the opening ceremony.
• January 31: Events will include hockey semi-finals, kabaddi (circle style), shot put, 100m heats and finals, long jump finals, tug of war, and bullock cart races from 12 to 2 pm and again from 4 pm.
• February 1: The final day will feature kabaddi national style under-17 girls, cycle races, athletics events across age groups, including senior citizens, traditional rural competitions such as trolley loading-unloading and tricycle race, and bullock cart races from 10 am and again from 5 pm.

Renowned Punjabi singers will also entertain the audience on all three days.

Colonel Surinder Singh Grewal, president of Kila Raipur Sports Society (Patti Suhavia), thanked CM Mann, the Punjab government and the Ludhiana district administration for restarting the bullock cart races. “All instructions issued by the director, animal husbandry, Punjab, and the district administration will be strictly followed,” he said, adding that members of the Kila Raipur Sports Society have also been included in the monitoring committee.

Appealing to sports lovers across the globe, Grewal urged them to attend the games in large numbers. He also called upon bullock cart unions from Majha, Doaba, and Malwa to participate in the races and comply with all government-mandated rules.