Field Hockey

[yubacitysingh]

The Times when Hockey used to Singh

The times when hockey used to Singh

by Col. Balbir Singh

Back in the 60's and 70's the foreign press use to think that turbaned gentlemen with the surname Singh must populate India almost entirely. In a team of 20 hockey players who represented India in the Mexico Olympic Games, 15 were Singh's.

SINGING SIKHS (SINGHS)

At present, India is not a force to reckon with in world hockey, but they have a fine history of global success in the sport. Indian teams have been littered with players of repute and flair and not only Sikhs bearing the name Singh.

The Sikh community has provided the highest number of Olympic Gold medallists in Indian history. Sikh took over from Anglo ' Indians as the dominant group in the team after World War II.

There have been a number of Dharam Singh and Gurbux Singh's but even more Balbir Singh's ' six in total. The most common, notably in the history of Indian Hockey is the name Balbir. It has been posing problems for all through out the world when they use to play together. The Balbirs who were in the national squad played for Punjab, Services and Railways.

There were Balbir's galore in the 1967 Madrid International Hockey Tournament. Four of them played and each of them were, then representing Punjab, Services, Railways and Indian Navy.

Another interesting thing about Balbir's was that they played in the forward line with the exception of Balbir of Services who was wing half but was known as the sixth forward who has scored a number of goals in international matches.

All the Balbir's came from the Jat Sikh Community. Balbir (Sr.) Dosanjh, Balbir Singh (Jr.) Kular (58 Asian Games), Balbir Singh Kular, Balbir Singh Kular of Services, Balbir Singh of Railways and Balbir Singh Randhawa, Indian Navy. All Kulars came from one family, one street and the same village Sansarpur Near Jalandhar Cantt. Sansarpur has produced 14 Olympians and is known as the nursery of Indian Hockey. Kular’s have won 8 gold, one silver and six bronze medals in the Olympic Games. Besides the Olympics, Kular's have 4 gold, 8 silver medals in the Asian Games to their credit.

The name Balbir has a glorious record in Indian Hockey. It finds mention in 5 Olympic and Asian Games and in total have bagged 12 medals.

Not all Singh's are Sikh. Jaipal Singh captain of India in the 1928 Olympics was a tribal from Bihar and Kunwar Digvijay Singh Babu; captain of the 1952 Olympics team was from a landlord family of Bara Banki near Lucknow. S Kehar Singh got the honour of receiving the first gold medal in 1928 Amsterdam and in the process became the first Sikh to get the honour.

5th Asian Games Final 19 Dec 1966.

Venue Bangkok

India won the gold medal for the first time in the history of the Asian Games beating Pakistan by one goal. Balbir Singh of Railways scored the winning goal. In that final, three Balbir Singh's played - one from Punjab at inside-right, one from the Railways at out-side-right and myself at Right half.

Strangely, all three of us were instrumental for the winning goal, which come in the second half:

I initiated the move, which resulted in that goal. I passed the ball to my namesake from Punjab, who, in turn, passed it back to me. I then gave a through pass to Balbir of Railways, who ran forward a little and hammered the ball home from a very narrow angle. That goal proved to be the match winner.

In that final, nine Sikhs played for India against Pakistan. But there is a different record that was set in the Madrid International against Belgium where ten Sikhs except the goalkeeper played for the national team. India won 2-0. The only non-Sikh, the goalkeeper, was G.K. Munir Sait.

Full Backs: Prithipal Singh (Capt.) Mukhbain Singh, Rly.

Half Backs:- Balbir (Services), Jagjit Singh, Harnekh Singh

Forward:- Joginder Singh, Balbir Singh (Pb), Balbir Singh (Rly), Inder Singh and Tarsem.

Balbir Singh is the first Sikh to lead an Indian team in the Olympics. Sikh representation has declined over the years. In Atlanta, Pargat Singh becomes the first Indian and a Sikh to captain at two Olympic Games.

And finally, a sweet young thing says there were so many Singh's you can make a song about them. Goal Keeper: It is surprising that not a single Sikh has ever represented India in the Olympic Games as a goalkeeper.

JAGJIT SINGH

There were three Jagjit Singh's out of which two played for India and the third one did duty for Kenya in the 1968 Olympic Games. Jagjit Singh from U.P. was selected as center half and he represented India in the Tokyo Asian Games 1958 where hockey was introduced for the first time. He was not given a chance as center half in the last league match against Pakistan and instead Udham Singh a regular in side left was made to play at that position.

Balbir Singh (jr) of Sansarpur was given a chance to play as inside-left since Balbir Singh was playing as center forward. India drew with Pakistan and lost the title on goal average.

SANSARPUR: Then two Jagjits, both Kular's and from the same village came on the scene with one doing duty for India in 1964 and 68 and the other for Kenya.

1. Jagjit Singh (U.P)

2. Jagjit Singh Kular

SANSARPUR

3. Jagjit Singh Kular Sansarpur

58 Asian Games

64, 68 Olympic Games.

Represented Kenya in the 1968 Olympic Games

Full Backs: Prithipal Singh (Capt.) Mukhbain Singh, Rly.

Half Backs:- Balbir (Services), Jagjit Singh, Harnekh Singh

Forward:- Joginder Singh, Balbir Singh (Pb), Balbir Singh (Rly), Inder Singh and Tarsem.

Balbir Singh is the first Sikh to lead an Indian team in the Olympics. Sikh representation has declined over the years. In Atlanta, Pargat Singh becomes the first Indian and a Sikh to captain at two Olympic Games.

And finally, a sweet young thing says there were so many Singh's you can make a song about them. Goal Keeper: It is surprising that not a single Sikh has ever represented India in the Olympic Games as a goalkeeper.

JAGJIT SINGH

There were three Jagjit Singh's out of which two played for India and the third one did duty for Kenya in the 1968 Olympic Games. Jagjit Singh from U.P. was selected as center half and he represented India in the Tokyo Asian Games 1958 where hockey was introduced for the first time. He was not given a chance as center half in the last league match against Pakistan and instead Udham Singh a regular in side left was made to play at that position.

Balbir Singh (jr) of Sansarpur was given a chance to play as inside-left since Balbir Singh was playing as center forward. India drew with Pakistan and lost the title on goal average.

SANSARPUR: Then two Jagjits, both Kular's and from the same village came on the scene with one doing duty for India in 1964 and 68 and the other for Kenya.

1. Jagjit Singh (U.P) - 58 Asian Games

2. Jagjit Singh Kular - 64, 68 Olympic Games.

SANSARPUR

3. Jagjit Singh Kular Sansarpur - Represented Kenya in the 1968 Olympic Games

Amsterdam 1928Gold Medal Kehar Singh (Punjab)The following is the list of Sikhs who have won medals in the Olympic Games. Los Angeles 1932 Col. Gurmit Singh Kular

Sansarpur Gold MedalBerlin 1936S. Gurbachan Singh Gold MedalLondon 1948

Tarlochan Singh

Balbir Singh (Sr.)

Nandy Singh Gold Medallist

Helsenki 1952Gold MedalistDharam Singh (Sr.)

Sawroop Singh

Udham Singh Kular 'Sansarpur

Balbir Singh (Sr.)

Nandy Singh Melbourne 1956 Gold MedalistBakshish Singh

Balkishan Singh

Gurdev Singh Kular ' Sansarpur

Udham Singh Kular-Sansarpur

Balbir Singh (Sr.)

Hardial Singh Rome 1960Silver MedalistPrithipal Singh

Balkishan Singh

Joginder Singh

Jaswant Singh

Udham Singh Kular ' Sansarpur Tokyo 1964 Gold Medallist Prithipal Singh

Dharam Singh (Jr.)

Jagjit Singh Kular

Gurbux Singh

Joginder Singh

Harbinder Singh

Darshan Singh Kular - Sansarpur

Balbir Singh Kular - Sansarpur

Udham Singh Kular - Sansarpur Mexico Olympic 1968 Bronze Medallist

Prithipal Singh, Gurbax Singh, Dharam Singh (jr), Harnek Singh, Balbir Singh, Harbinder Singh, Inder Singh, Gurbax SinghBalbir Singh Kular

Ajit Singh Kular

Jagjit Singh Kular

Balbir Singh Kular

Tarsem Singh Kular Munich 1972Bronze Medallist Mukhbain Singh, Varinder Singh, Harnek Singh, Harbinder Singh, Harcharan Singh, Kulwant Singh, Ajit Pal Singh Kular ' Sansarpur Moscow 1980 Gold MedallistDavinder Singh, Rajinder Singh, Gurmail Singh, Amarjit Singh Rana, Surinder Sodhi Seoul 1988 Gold Medal Kulbir Bhanwar played for Great Britain

Col Balbir Singh is a former Indian hockey player and Olympian. He was also awarded the Arjuna Award. He also coached the Indian women's hockey team and has also been instrumental in bringing the Adivasis to the forefront of Indian hockey when he coached the Services team. Today, he is settled in Jalandhar in the state of Punjab and needless to say is very pained at the state of Indian hockey.

Posted in Sports.

By Saravjit Kahlon– October 13, 2007