India, especially Punjab, on Monday lost its hockey wizard. The 97-year-old three-time Olympic champion and one of the greatest ever hockey players India has ever produced, Padma Shri Balbir Singh Dosanjh, passed away after prolonged illness on Monday morning.

Popularly known as Balbir Singh Senior, he was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mohali since May 8 after complaining of high fever and breathing problems. He had also suffered three cardiac arrests but had been stable since May 13. However, his condition worsened after fresh blood clot was detected in his brain and pneumonia patches in his lungs on May 18. He had been semi-comatose and on ventilator support since then.

“He died at 6:17 am this morning,” said Abhijit Singh, Director Fortis Hospital, Mohali, where he was admitted since May 8.

His maternal grandson Kabir, who has been regularly updating the media regarding iconic hockey player’s health status, later sent out a message, “Nanaji passed away this morning.”

First athlete to be awarded country’s one of the highest civilian honour Padma Shri in 1957, Balbir Singh Senior was cremated with full state honours at Chandigarh’s local electric crematorium. His grandson Kabir Singh lit the pyre in the presence of deceased daughter Sushbir Kaur.

In a bid to pay a befitting tribute to the legendary hockey player, the Punjab Government has decided to name Mohali’s international hockey stadium in the memory Balbir Singh Senior.

“The international hockey stadium at Mohali would be named in the memory Balbir Singh Senior, which would be formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh at an appropriate time,” said the state’s Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi, who laid the wreath on behalf of the Chief Minister while a contingent of Punjab Police reversed arms and later fired in the air as a mark of respect to the legendary hockey star.

MLA and the Olympian hockey player Pargat Singh also laid wreath to pay respects to his “icon”. Besides, the representatives of Hockey India, Punjab Olympics Association, and Hockey Punjab also laid wreaths to pay their last respects.

PRESIDENT, PM, PUNJAB GUV, CM, AMONG OTHERS MOURN

As the nation mourns the passing away of the hockey legend, the President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, among many others across the country too paid their last respects to the departed soul.

India’s lone individual gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra was among the first to condole the death. “Saddened to hear of the demise of one of India's most celebrated Olympians, Balbir Singh Sr. Athletes and role models such as him come very rarely, and it was an honour to know him, and I hope his example will continue to inspire athletes from around the world,” wrote Bindra.

Expressing profound grief, Capt Amarinder recalled Balbir Singh’s immense contribution towards promotion of sports, especially the hockey. “He would ever remain a source of inspiration for budding hockey players across the globe, who was honoured with several coveted awards for his peerless performance in Olympics and other international sports events,” he said adding that a void has been created with the death this hockey icon, which is difficult to be filled.

Remembering his achievements as guiding light for youngsters, Punjab Sports Minister Rana Sodhi said that Balbir Singh was the most decorated Olympian in Indian sports history. “Today, we have not only lost our greatest iconic player but we have also lost ‘our guiding light’. He remained the greatest fan of the sport and was always there when we needed his advice. Hockey has lost its shining star and everyone belonging to sports arena is pained by this shocking news,” he said.

Sodhi added, “Balbir Singh Senior's exemplary achievements and his enthusiasm for the sport will remain an example for generations to come. On behalf of the Punjab Sports Department, I express my deepest condolences to his family.”

DEMAND FOR BAHARAT RATNA

 Rana Sodhi once again raised the demand to bestow India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, on the hockey wizard Balbir Singh Senior.

“He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1957 and was conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Life Time Achievement Award in 2014. One of the country's all time greatest athletes, Balbir Singh Senior was the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history. His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men's hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten,” he said supporting his demand.  Notably, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has also written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the country’s highest civilian award for the legendary hockey player.

A MAGICIAN WITH THE HOCKEY STICK

Even though Major Dhyan Chand, known as ‘The Magician of Hockey’ for his superb ball control, Balbir Singh Senior’s skills and achievements were no less impactful. The two never played together, but are regarded as the jewels of Indian hockey, who inspired an entire generation of hockey players.

Dhyan Chand garnered more recognition, perhaps for the reason that his achievements came at a time when India was under the British rule. But Balbir Singh Senior was among independent India’s biggest hockey stars.

Born in 1924 in Punjab’s Haripur Khalsa village, he was spotted by Harbail Singh, who was the then coach of Khalsa College and later coached India to back-to-back gold medals in 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Balbir Singh won three consecutive Olympic gold medals just like the more celebrated Dhyan Chand but lived a quieter life.

He was a Triple Olympics Gold Medalist in London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. He was the captain of Indian Hockey Team in 1956 Olympic Games, which won the Gold Medal.

Notably, the Indian men’s hockey team recorded a historic sequence of six consecutive Olympic titles between 1928 and 1956, with prolific forward Balbir Singh playing a key role in the last three famous triumphs scoring crucial goals and captaining his team to glory in 1956.

He was just 23 when he made his Olympic debut, spearheading India’s attack against Argentina in their second match of 1948 Games in London. He made an immediate impact, scoring a hat-trick in an impressive 9-1 victory. In the gold-medal match between Great Britain and India at famous Wembley Stadium, the Asians proved much too strong for the hosts with Balbir Singh playing an instrumental role in 4-0 win, netting twice in the first half.

Balbir Senior scored five goals in the final of 1952 Olympics Games, which is still unbeaten, said Sodhi adding, “Under his captaincy, India scored 38 goals and conceded none on its way to the gold medal in 1956 Melbourne Olympics.”

The resounding result delivered a first major sporting triumph to a country that had only achieved independence the previous year. “Those feelings of joy and happiness are difficult to explain,” Balbir Singh had recalled in one of his interviews 65 years later. “You have to experience it. But I was so happy – on top of the world! Those first Games in 1948 are still fresh in my mind,” he had said.

Balbir Singh continued to represent India on the hockey pitch until the beginning of 1960s, picking up silver medals at the Asian Games of 1958 and 1962, prior to moving into coaching and management. In 1975, he managed the Indian hockey team that emerged victorious from the 1975 World Cup, further cementing his status as one of the greatest sporting figures his country has ever produced.

“Former Punjab Director of Sports Balbir Singh Senior was also honoured with Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award by Punjab Government in 2019.

 He was also bestowed upon Olympic Iconic Award during London 2012 Olympics Games by IOC, and was the only Asian Male Player of any game who selected for such rare Honour,” said Rana Sodhi.