Diljit Dosanjh’s Concert at PAU Sparks Debate Over Football Ground Damage

Students and retired faculty members of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have expressed serious concern over damage to the football field due to the Diljit Dosanjh’s concert on New Year Eve.

A football stadium that is important to PAU’s history in producing Olympians and national athletes was left in disrepair. Heavy machinery and vehicles were used at the concerts, causing visible damage and leaving the ground uneven. This sparked a debate about the appropriateness of holding such a large-scale event on campus.

Damage to the Football Grounds

APS Brar, a retired professor from PAU, commented on the visible damage:

“The damage it (concert) has caused to the ground is obvious. The ground needs to be levelled properly for the players.”

Angrej Mann, a student leader, emphasized the importance of the grounds for the university’s athletic culture: “There is no doubt that Diljit Dosanjh’s concert was a huge hit, but who will compensate for the condition of the ground after the show? What is the fault of the Punjab Agricultural University players, the institution that has produced national and Olympic athletes?”

He also urged restoring the ground field so that players could resume their practice sessions without further delay; other students too expressed the same views.

Broader Concerns About Hosting Events on Campus

APS Brar also questioned the authorities for holding such a big event on the university campus. He said “This is a research university. It is essential to maintain a serious academic atmosphere here. Hosting such shows can disturb that atmosphere.”

Adding to the controversy, Brar noted that the concert was largely inaccessible to PAU students due to its high ticket prices, with no reserved seating areas for them:

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“This concert wasn’t for our students. None of them could afford the ticket. Neither was there any area at the venue reserved for them. This was purely a commercial event, and that’s not what a university is meant for.”

Reports of liquor bottles found at the venue have further fueled the criticism. Brar warned of the potential impact on the university’s reputation, particularly in rural areas:

“Rural people may develop a perception that the university is a place where concerts and liquor are normal. They may not want to send their kids, especially girls, to such an environment.”

Faculty and Alumni Speak Out

Jila Ram Bansal, president of the PAU Retirees Welfare Association, said, “Even faculty members who book Sukhdev Bhawan for personal functions are forbidden from having loud music and liquor. Why were these rules ignored for Diljit Dosanjh’s concert?”

The retired faculty members emphasized the importance of strict regulations to ensure that university facilities are maintained and not misused for commercial purposes.

University’s Response and Restoration Plan

The PAU Vice Chancellor, Satbir Singh Gosal, assured the students that the damaged grounds would be restored very soon. He outlined the university’s plans to replant the field with high-quality Malaysian grass:

“The ground will be plowed and planted with Malaysian grass. We are planting special Malaysian grass on all grounds. These football fields will also be fixed the same way.”

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