Balbir Singh Sr.

This article is about the hockey player born in 1923 who was a 3-time Olympic gold medallist. For other hockey players with the same name, see Balbir Singh.

Balbir Singh Sr.
Melbourne Olympic Victory Ceremony
Personal information
Birth nameBalbir Singh Dosanjh
NationalityIndian
Born(1923-12-31)31 December 1923[1]
Haripur Khalsa, Punjab, British India
Died25 May 2020(2020-05-25) (aged 96)[2]
Mohali, Punjab, India[3]
Alma materDev Samaj High School, Moga
DM College, Moga
Sikh National College, Lahore
Khalsa College, Amritsar
Sport
CountryIndia
SportField hockey
EventField Hockey Men's team
TeamIndia (International)
Punjab State (National)
Punjab Police (National)
Punjab University (National)
Medal record
Men's field hockey
Representing  India
Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 1948 London Team
Gold medal – first place 1952 Helsinki Team
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne Team
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 1958 Tokyo Team
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Balbir Singh Dosanjh (31 December 1923 – 25 May 2020),[4] predominantly known as Balbir Singh Sr., was an Indian hockey player and coach.[1] He was a three-time Olympic gold medallist, having played a key role[5] in India's wins in London (1948), Helsinki (1952) (as vice captain), and Melbourne (1956) (as captain) Olympics.[6] He is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time,[7] a modern-day Dhyan Chand,[8][9] a legend[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] of the sport, and is widely regarded as the sport's greatest ever centre-forward.[9][10] His Olympic record for most goals scored by an individual in an Olympic men's hockey final remains unbeaten.[17] Singh set this record when he scored five goals in India's 6–1 victory over the Netherlands in the men's field hockey final of the 1952 Olympic Games. He was often called Balbir Singh Senior to distinguish him from other Indian hockey players named Balbir Singh. Singh scored 246 goals from just 61 international caps and scored 23 goals in just 8 Olympic matches

Singh was the manager and chief coach of the Indian team for the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup, which India won, and the 1971 Men's Hockey World Cup, where India earned a bronze medal. During the London Olympics in 2012, Singh was honoured in the Olympic Museum exhibition, "The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games,” held at the Royal Opera House.[18] The exhibition told the story of the Olympic Games from its creation in 776BC through to the London 2012 Olympic Games. He was one of the 16 iconic Olympians recognized[19] as an example "of human strength and endeavour, of passion, determination, hard work and achievement and demonstrates the values of the Olympic Movement".[20]

Singh died at the age of 96 in Mohali on 25 May 2020.[21][22]

  1. ^ a b "Olympic Captains of India". Hockey India. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr dies at the age of 95". The Times of India. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Sr passes away at a hospital in Mohali in Punjab". ANI on Twitter. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  4. ^ Oldest Living Olympians
  5. ^ "Singh on song for India". IOC. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  6. ^ Balbir Singh Senior stakes claim for Bharat Ratna. The Tribune, 24 April 2012.
  7. ^ Gillis, Charlie (6 March 2016). "The greatest hockey player ever". Maclean's Magazine. Toronto. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Champions of the stick and ball". IOC News. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Balbir (Sr.) — a class act". The Hindu. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Legendary hockey star Balbir Singh takes you back... to 1948!". IOC News. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  11. ^ "1948 Olympics: Record fourth gold medal for India". The Hindu. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr meets MS Dhoni & co". The Indian Express. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Before Akshay Kumar's Gold, a look at his muse: Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr". FirstPost. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Balbir Singh Sr: Forgotten legend of India's Olympic glory". The Times Of India. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr. honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award". Zee News. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr honoured in Canada". Hindustan Times. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  17. ^ Most Goals scored by an Individual in an Olympic Hockey Final (Male). Guinness World Records
  18. ^ The personal stories of 16 great Olympians
  19. ^ One of the 16 iconic Olympians – Times of India
  20. ^ The Olympic Journey: The Story of The Games
  21. ^ "Hockey Legend Balbir Singh Sr Passes Away". OdishaTv. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  22. ^ Sen, Rohan (25 May 2020). "Balbir Singh Sr December 31, 1923 to May 25, 2020: In honour of a legend who redefined Indian hockey". India Today.