PATIALA: Punjabi University, Patiala, wrote a glorious chapter in annals of history of university sports by clinching prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy for 2006-07 for the first time.

The coveted sports trophy is awarded to a university that wins maximum number of medals in the All-India Inter-University Championships and by registering overall best performance in the individual and team events held in one calendar year. Punjabi University has claimed this honour by finishing in top bracket for maximum number of times among over 400 universities in the country.

Congratulating vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh for the achievement, the Union ministry of youth affairs and sports has invited him along with director, sports, of the university and outstanding sportsman and woman to receive the trophy to be awarded by President Pratibha Patil on August 29 in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtarpati Bhawan.

Punjabi University clinched the trophy by defeating the champions, GNDU, Amritsar, by winning a total of 103 gold, 47 silver and 44 bronze medals in individual events.

The university notched top positions in cycling (men and women), kayaking (women), football (men), handball (women), air rifle shooting (women), rowing (women), and yachting (men and women).

Its teams finished runners-up in kayaking (men), rhythmic gymnastics (women), handball (men), kho kho (women), powerlifting (men), air rifle shooting (men), rowing (men), weightlifting (men) and wrestling (men). The university bagged bronze in boxing (men), artistic gymnastics (women), hockey (men) and weightlifting (women).