He was a great center half, a pleasant and wonderful human being and an excellent team played and a leader. Two times Olympian, he had the distinction of leading India in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games to wrest back the hockey gold India had lost to Pakistan in Rome Olympics in 1960.
He was none other than Charanjit Singh. He left for his heavenly abode on Thursday leaving the hockey world poorer and mourning.
Born in November 1929, Charanjit, after his playing days had settled down in his native state of Himachal Pradesh where he worked as Director, Physical Education, at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla. He then moved on to Una where he spent his last years. He leaves behind two sons and a daughter.
His elder son, a doctor settled in Canada, too, played hockey. I fondly remember watching him in my school days as he was a star forward of Government Model School (Cemetery Road, Ludhiana) team. He and his “African” colleague constituted a superb “Lacchhi-Maanna” combination that could rip open any defence.
He lost his wife 12 years ago. A few years back, he had a stroke that led to his partial paralysis. He would walk with a stick. Old age aggravated by increasing health problems led to cardiac arrest before this great hockey stalwart bid goodbye to the world.
Besides Tokyo, Charanjit was a member of the 1960 Indian Olympic hockey team. Unfortunately, he had to skip the final against Pakistan that India lost 0-1. Four years later, Charanjit-led Indian team avenged that defeat with a win over Pakistan in the gold medal match. Hero of that team was Prithipal Singh, who was later christened as “penalty king” for the number of legal strikes he had at his opponents. It was Prithipal’s stinging penalty corner shot that got India a penalty stroke that was dutifully converted by Mohinder Lal, also a half back.
Charanjit also played for India in Asian Games in 1962 where India got a silver.
Hockey India on Thursday mourned the demise of hockey legend Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Charanjit Singh who passed away in Una district, Himachal Pradesh due to age-related complications. He was 92.
The two-time Olympian was part of India’s glorious days. A charismatic halfback, Charanjit Singh had led the Indian team to a historic Gold Medal in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, beating Pakistan in the Final and was also part of the Indian team that won Silver in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
Born on 20 November 1929, Charanjit Singh was an alumni of Col. Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun, and Punjab University. After his illustrious career in international hockey, he worked as Director of Physical Education department in Himachal Pradesh University, in Shimla.
When Hockey India had interviewed the legend in June, 2021 for the Hockey India Flashback Series in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, he had fondly remembered the final against Pakistan during the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
He nostalgically stated, “Both the teams were regarded among the strongest teams during that time, and we had a very challenging outing against them. Moreover, you know, how intense it becomes when you play against Pakistan that too in the final of the Olympics. The match was also interrupted briefly to cool down the tempers of both teams. I told my boys to focus on the game, rather than wasting time talking to them. We were tested hard but also showed great character, and won the match by a narrow 1-0 margin to return home with that historic Gold medal.”
He had further remembered about the grand welcome they received upon returning to India wearing the coveted Gold medal around their necks. “Winning two medals for the country has been a moment of pride and honour for me. You know, after winning the Gold Medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, we were accorded a warm welcome on our arrival at the airport, a lot of fans had assembled, and it was a very special feeling for every one of us.”
“Hockey was a very popular sport in India. It was given more importance because of the rich history, and our country had dominated in this sport in early years. We had won many Gold medals at a prestigious event like the Olympics, and that was the key reasons behind it,” the nonagenarian had stated while speaking about Indian hockey’s golden era.
Condoling Charanjit Singh’s demise, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, “It is a sad day for the hockey fraternity. Even in his old age, he would light up every time there were conversations about hockey and he could accurately recall every great moment he was part of India’s golden days of hockey. He was a legendary halfback who inspired an entire generation of players. He was a very cool-headed Captain and he will forever be remembered for his incredible skills on the field and for his humility off the field. On behalf of Hockey India, I expressed my deepest condolences to his family.”
Olympian Charanjit Singh is no more
He was a great center half, a pleasant and wonderful human being and an excellent team played and a leader. Two times Olympian, he had the distinction of leading India in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games to wrest back the hockey gold India had lost to Pakistan in Rome Olympics in 1960.
He was none other than Charanjit Singh. He left for his heavenly abode on Thursday leaving the hockey world poorer and mourning.
Born in November 1929, Charanjit, after his playing days had settled down in his native state of Himachal Pradesh where he worked as Director, Physical Education, at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla. He then moved on to Una where he spent his last years. He leaves behind two sons and a daughter.
His elder son, a doctor settled in Canada, too, played hockey. I fondly remember watching him in my school days as he was a star forward of Government Model School (Cemetery Road, Ludhiana) team. He and his “African” colleague constituted a superb “Lacchhi-Maanna” combination that could rip open any defence.
He lost his wife 12 years ago. A few years back, he had a stroke that led to his partial paralysis. He would walk with a stick. Old age aggravated by increasing health problems led to cardiac arrest before this great hockey stalwart bid goodbye to the world.
Besides Tokyo, Charanjit was a member of the 1960 Indian Olympic hockey team. Unfortunately, he had to skip the final against Pakistan that India lost 0-1. Four years later, Charanjit-led Indian team avenged that defeat with a win over Pakistan in the gold medal match. Hero of that team was Prithipal Singh, who was later christened as “penalty king” for the number of legal strikes he had at his opponents. It was Prithipal’s stinging penalty corner shot that got India a penalty stroke that was dutifully converted by Mohinder Lal, also a half back.
Charanjit also played for India in Asian Games in 1962 where India got a silver.
Hockey India on Thursday mourned the demise of hockey legend Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Charanjit Singh who passed away in Una district, Himachal Pradesh due to age-related complications. He was 92.
The two-time Olympian was part of India’s glorious days. A charismatic halfback, Charanjit Singh had led the Indian team to a historic Gold Medal in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, beating Pakistan in the Final and was also part of the Indian team that won Silver in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
Born on 20 November 1929, Charanjit Singh was an alumni of Col. Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun, and Punjab University. After his illustrious career in international hockey, he worked as Director of Physical Education department in Himachal Pradesh University, in Shimla.
When Hockey India had interviewed the legend in June, 2021 for the Hockey India Flashback Series in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, he had fondly remembered the final against Pakistan during the Tokyo Olympics in 1964.
He nostalgically stated, “Both the teams were regarded among the strongest teams during that time, and we had a very challenging outing against them. Moreover, you know, how intense it becomes when you play against Pakistan that too in the final of the Olympics. The match was also interrupted briefly to cool down the tempers of both teams. I told my boys to focus on the game, rather than wasting time talking to them. We were tested hard but also showed great character, and won the match by a narrow 1-0 margin to return home with that historic Gold medal.”
He had further remembered about the grand welcome they received upon returning to India wearing the coveted Gold medal around their necks. “Winning two medals for the country has been a moment of pride and honour for me. You know, after winning the Gold Medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, we were accorded a warm welcome on our arrival at the airport, a lot of fans had assembled, and it was a very special feeling for every one of us.”
“Hockey was a very popular sport in India. It was given more importance because of the rich history, and our country had dominated in this sport in early years. We had won many Gold medals at a prestigious event like the Olympics, and that was the key reasons behind it,” the nonagenarian had stated while speaking about Indian hockey’s golden era.
Condoling Charanjit Singh’s demise, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, “It is a sad day for the hockey fraternity. Even in his old age, he would light up every time there were conversations about hockey and he could accurately recall every great moment he was part of India’s golden days of hockey. He was a legendary halfback who inspired an entire generation of players. He was a very cool-headed Captain and he will forever be remembered for his incredible skills on the field and for his humility off the field. On behalf of Hockey India, I expressed my deepest condolences to his family.”