Punjab Post Daily Online Newspaper & Print Media
India Lost one of its most decorated Hockey Star – RMS Chhina
Amritsar, May 25 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) today condoled the demise of
hockey legend Balbir Singh Senior who passed away today at Mohali after a brief illness. He was 95. A triple-Olympics Champion and World Cup winning Indian Hockey team Manager Balbir Singh Senior started his career in hockey while being a student at historic Khalsa College Amritsar, where he studied from 1942 to 1945, before partition.
The hockey stalwart Balbir Singh Senior was survived by three sons, a daughter and grandsons. In the past a few weeks, he was battling multiple health issues and was hospitalised in Mohali on May 8 and has been on ventilator support. KCGC honourary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said the whole management of Khalsa College, Principal, staff and students expressed their deepest condolences over his death.
File Photo“He was one of the most shining stars of Indian hockey. Some of his Olympics records are yet to be beaten and he will always remain the most decorated athlete of the country”, said Chhina adding that they were proud of their alumni. Khalsa College Principal Dr. Mehal Singh recalled his last visit to the campus to attend the Khalsa College Global Alumni Meet in 2016 when he visited his class rooms, hostel room and the playgrounds where he used to practice. He said Balbir Singh studied in bachelor of arts here.
A forward player of par excellence, Balbir Sr. had Olympics Gold in 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics. He also coached the Indian team to its first and only World Cup win in 1975 in Malaysia. “His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten”, said RMS Chhina. He had scored five goals in India’s 6-1 victory over the Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Helsinki Games.
Under his captaincy, India scored 38 goals and conceded none on its way to the gold medal in 1956 Melbourne Olympics and he was awarded Padma Sri, in 1957. Khalsa College Global Alumni Association (KCGAA) also paid glowing tributes to the all time great Hockey star and expressed their deepest condolences.
Khalsa College will install a portrait of this hockey champion at the Sikh Museum and Library on campus and a suitable award for the hockey will be named after him”, said Chhina.
KCGAA Convenor Dr. Davinder Singh Chhina, said the Indian sports have lost their most decorated hockey star who was an alumni of Khalsa College. He thanked KCGC and Principal Dr. Mehal Singh for announcement to install hockey legend’s life size portrait and naming some hockey title in his name in future at Khalsa College.
Kartar Singh Pehalwan IPS, Mukhwinder Singh Chhina IPS ( IGP ); Canadian Chapter Director Sukh Dhaliwal, MP Canada; Media Coordinator Harpreet Singh Bhatti; European Chapter head Bhupinder Singh Holland; UK Chapter head Inder Singh Jamu; California Chapter head Daljit Singh Sandhu also expressed their condolences.
