New Delhi, May 29, 2020: Three-time Olympic Champion and one of the greatest hockey players ever, Balbir Singh Sr. breathed his last after a prolonged pulmonary illness on May 25th, 2020. He was hospitalized on May 8 after complaining of high fever and breathing problems.
The Olympic Legend:
As the nation pays tribute to the legendary hockey player, it would be interesting to know the journey of this legend— who helped Independent India win its first-ever gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics. Moreover, Balbir also guided the Indian team to its maiden World Cup win in 1975.
Born on 31st December 1923, in HaripurKhalsa, Punjab, Singh saw a newsreel on India’s 1936 Olympic hockey triumph which was an era of Dhyan Chand. He was trained at Khalsa College, Amritsar after being spotted as a promising player by Harbail Singh.
His hard work soon paid off when he led Punjab to its first national championship title in 14 years, forging a formidable partnership with inside-right Maqbool Hashmat. However, before Balbir could celebrate his victory at home, the Punjab region was already under chaos as millions were rendered homeless due to the partition. Being a policeman, Balbirwas on the streets, controlling violence. After India was divided in 1947, his family moved to Ludhiana and his friends Ali Shah Dara and Muhammad Shah Rukh moved to the Islamic nation.
When Independent India participated in it’s first-ever Olympics, Balbir, and the big-game player that he was, rose to the occasion and dominated the match by scoring the first two goals in India’s 4-0 win against the British team. “This was a source of pride and India performed quite well at the Olympics against the Britishers and it was all due to Balbir Singh Sr,” says Sanjay Dalmia, a renowned Indian nationalist, who adds that his demise is a great loss to our nation and his contributions shall never be forgotten.
Balbir achieved a similar feat at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he scored 5 of India’s 6 goals against the Netherlands (a record that still stands). Even after his playing days were over, his contribution to win medals for India didn’t stop. He lent his Midas touch once again in 1975 where he guided the Indian team to its maiden World Cup win.
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
