Did you know this University in Punjab has sent the highest number of athletes to Tokyo Olympics?

India's Lovely Professional University made history as 11 of their students were selected to the Indian contingent taking part in the Tokyo Olympics. The University achieved this remarkable milestone and were the only University to send that many athletes, comprising nearly 10% of the entire contingent. This achievement is an immense source of pride for anyone associated with the University and was also appreciated by the Indian Cricket team captain Virat Kohli who sent out a congratulatory tweet to the University.

LPU's stars in the Indian contingent has notable names such as Manpreet Singh, captain of the Indian Hockey Team, superstar wrestler Bajrang Punia, para-athlete Nishad Kumar, track and field athlete JCO Neeraj Chopra and sprinter Amoj Jacob among others.

The thorough curriculum and the ability to pursue their sporting dreams helps these athletes acquire an added edge by giving them the best of both worlds. The ability to learn in the classroom and not compromising for that in the field is a luxury not many student-athletes can afford. Most student-athletes drop out due to the academic rigors and not being able to be up to par with their peers due to the amount of time they spend on training. LPU's curriculum is designed in such a manner that it hones in on its students best skills and helps them develop that further without compromising in any aspect. Their high placement rates are a testament to their ability in bringing the best out of their students.

LPU believes that talent is not captive to anything and sticks true to their beliefs by providing complete support to their athletes. Their multiple scholarships help athletes of different levels become the best versions of themselves without compromising on skill or talent levels. Some athletes start late and hence lose out on opportunities that would otherwise be the perfect fit for them due to the sheer size of competition for those scholarships. LPU seemed to think ahead of its time and helped athletes by offering various scholarships according to their capabilities along with trial and audition-based scholarships so that they do not miss out on premium talent. The effort put into identifying a person's skill set and developing them individually proved to be the right strategy as their students shined at various levels, bringing multiple laurels to the University.

Athletes such as Bajrang Punia and Manpreet Singh have the added ex-factor of being stars on campus and for their nation. The University rewards such athletes with a scholarship that has a full fee waiver, free stay with an attached washroom, free food deluxe diet and food supplements, among other benefits. Athletes, according to their brackets, get certain benefits and are assessed differently according to their achievements. The University has specifically designed a point system for athletes on scholarships to keep them on their feet and in the best shape.

The sheer volume of scholarships offered and the size of various clubs on the campus makes sports an essential part of the campus culture, with students taking immense pride in their University teams and athletes. Their world-class sports facilities are usually packed during University games and other events, making this a surreal college atmosphere for any athlete. Encouraging them to achieve bigger things for both their University and their nation.

We congratulate all our students for making it to the Indian contingent for Tokyo Olympics 2021 and are elated that they will get an opportunity to represent the country. The entire LPU community along with the nation will pray that they win a medal at the Olympics and make us even more proud," said the Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal.

"At LPU, we have been investing extensively in building world-class sports infrastructure and hiring top trainers to ensure our students bring laurels to the country. The efforts have started to show results now, with several of our students winning national and international competitions over the last few years. We are confident that many more students will follow the path of superstars like Manju Rani, Unnati Sharma, Amoj, Neeraj and Nishad and make us proud in the years to come," he added.

LPU has been a trailblazer when it comes to Education, and now they have taken the responsibility and mantle of shaping up India's future sporting heroes, making it a truly admirable journey. LPU paves the way for the rest to follow and encourage sports and sports stars while also not compromising on quality education, as shown by their ranking in the top 200 Universities in the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021.