Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana is a centre of excellence for education and research in the fields of agriculture and horticulture. The PAU has played a key role in increasing food grain production in Punjab manifolds and was instrumental in ushering in an era of Green Revolution in India. The University was established in 1962 and has a sprawling campus of more than 1500 acres on Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road. The PAU has a very strong reputation in sports and its alumni have won many awards for excellence in sports. It has a good infrastructure for almost all sports. A regular hockey stadium was also a part of this infrastructure. The stadium was named after Prithipal Singh, a legendary hockey player also known as “king of short corner”. He participated in three Olympics, won medals and remained top scorer in all.
Keeping in view the importance of this stadium, the government decided to renovate and upgrade it in 2009 so that it can host national and international level tournaments. The up gradation plan included the increase in seating capacity for spectators together with a covered canopy on VIP Pavilion, relaying of Astroturf and provision of flood lights. After up gradation, the stadium now has latest in the world, blue-and-pink Astroturf, flood lights and much better facilities for players and spectators. The VIP Pavilion has been up graded functionally and aesthetically. It has now increased seating capacity and beautiful steel canopy above its major portion. The canopy has been built in high-tensile, pre-engineered steel structure and covered with powder-coated profiled steel sheets both from top and bottom. On the external side the colour of the sheets has been kept blue which harmonize with blue Astroturf and grey shade of exposed concrete buildings in its vicinity. The canopy has a rounded configuration on the western side. This not only protects the seating area from low western sun in the evenings but also lend the stadium a dynamic and contemporary look. Since the stadium abuts on one of the main entry roads to the university, the attractive form of the canopy adds to the grandeur of the campus.
Apart from the VIP Pavilion, some open seating steps have been added on other sides of the play ground. Back retaining walls of these steps support earth work in slanting formation. These earth mounds have been covered with grass and shrubs so as to merge with the large green lawns on its south and east sides. After up gradation the overall built form of the stadium has come out to be very functional, dynamic, contemporary and aesthetically pleasing. It has now become a very sought after venue for hockey tournaments in India.
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