Five years ago he suffered a stroke and has been paralysed since then. “Dad was paralysed after suffering a stroke five years back. He used to walk with a stick but since the last couple of months, his health deteriorated and this morning he left us,” his younger son V P Singh told PTI.

“His last rites will be performed today after my sister reaches Una from Delhi,” V P Singh said.

He lost his wife 12 years ago. While the eldest son is a doctor in Canada, the younger son was with him when he took his last breath. The only daughter of Mr Singh is married and based in New Delhi.

Singh, midfielder and two-time Olympian was remarkable in the fields. He was a part of team India during its glorious days in the Olympics. He led the team in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, defeating Pakistan in the final and participated in the Indian team in Rome Olympics, 1960, where India claimed silver.

He was an alumnus of Col Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun and Panjab University. After his acclaimed career in international hockey, he served as the Director of the Physical Education Department in Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. 

Singh was a devoted hockey player and still had memories of the Rome Olympics where India lost by a delicate 0-1 margin against arch-rival Pakistan. Four years later, under his captaincy, India defeated Pakistan and clinched gold in the Tokyo Olympics.

Recollecting the fond memory in the lead-up to last year’s Tokyo Olympics, Charanjit had told Hockey India Flashback Series: “Both the teams were regarded among the strongest teams during that time, and we had a very challenging outing against them (Pakistan).

“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.”

“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,” the eminent further shared. 

“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 reason behind it.” 

“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,” Hockey India president Gyanendro Nigombam added.

The post India mourns the demise of Hockey eminent Charanjit Singh first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

To your recollection, Manpreet had led the men’s team to the Olympic Bronze after a desperate wait of 41 years.

“Asian Games will undoubtedly be the biggest event for us this year. Surely the competition will be quite tough at the Asian Games as all teams will be vying to make the Olympics cut (by winning gold),” he said, as quoted by PTI.

The team winning Gold at the Asian Games, starting from September 10, automatically qualifies for the Olympics. India claimed a Bronze medal in the Jakarta Games in 2018. 

The FIH Pro League matches begin in February and India will play the likes of Spain, Germany, Argentina and England in Bhubaneswar.

“This year is going to be quite exciting with back-to-back tournaments all year long. We begin with FIH Pro League matches in February. After almost two years, we will be returning to our favourite venue in Bhubaneswar where we will play double-headers against Spain, Germany, Argentina and England,” he said.

“The FIH Pro League will help us gain some really good match experience ahead of Asian Games. Additionally, it will give us a great opportunity to try out different combinations ahead of Asian Games,” he said in a Hockey India release.

The players are set to report at SAI Bengaluru for the national camp after a short break following their Asian Champions Trophy outing in Dhaka.

Manpreet said the camp will be important to assess their performances from last year and also plan for the year ahead.

“It was a very good 10-day break for all of us, spending some quality time with our families. I feel we have returned to the camp feeling mentally fresh and ready for the challenge ahead.

“We will be assessing our performances in 2021 with the Chief Coach and support staff and we will also draw up a road map for 2022,” added the midfielder.

The post One eye on Asian Games, other on Olympics first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

The legend has helped India win three consecutive golds and a silver in the most celebrated Olympics, viz. 1948, 1952, 1956. Under his captaincy, the national hockey team clinched silver in the 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome, Italy. Lucky enough, Claudius was born at times when Indian hockey tasted golden days. Apart from these accomplishments, he is remembered for being the first to earn 100 caps, and competed for India in addition to the Olympics, on their European tour of 1949, Malaysian tour of 1952, Australian and New Zealand tours of 1955, and Asian Games in 1958. The 1960 Olympics didn’t pause his game and he continued to impress the audience with remarkable performances domestically and retired finally after the 1965 season. In 1971, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri civil award making Claudius the sixth Indian hockey player to receive the adoration. 

Why did he go for Hockey instead of Football? 

Surprisingly, Leslie’s first love wasn’t hockey but football and was eligible to play for Bengal and Nagpur Railway. But fate has other plans for him. He was noticed by hockey player Dickie Carr. Carr was part of the national team in the 1936 Olympics, our last representation under British rule, and confirmed gold in a tough face-off against Germany. After being spotted by Carr, Leslie represented Bengal and Nagpur Railway in hockey in place of football. 

Sculpted India’s image in Olympics 

He became the first hockey player to participate in four Olympics. The last match was against the arch-rival Pakistan in 1960 and India placed second after a mettlesome match. After his withdrawal, he continued playing domestically and was conferred Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1971. He also provided services as the team manager at the 1978 Asian Games. 

The continued legacy

An Anglo-India, Leslie, took his heavenly abode after a long battle with liver cirrhosis at the age of 85 on 20 December 2012. He was survived by his wife and three sons. His son, Robert, represented India internationally at the 1978 World Cup in Mexico. 

Udham Singh and Leslie are the two names who’ve paved their way in the Guinness Book of World Records for claiming the most number of Olympic medals in hockey. At the time of the 2012 Olympics, the Bushey tube station was renamed after Claudius in the special ‘Olympic Legends Map’.

The post Leslie Claudius: Reminiscing Hockey stalwart who helped India win three consecutive Olympics Golds first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

“Overwhelmed to receive this letter from our Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji. His constant support to athletes has motivated us to do our best at Tokyo2020. Sir, I am inspired by your passion for sport and pledge to continue my contribution to Indian sports. @PMOIndia @ianuragthakur,” Rupinder tweeted while attaching the appreciation letter by PM. 

In his social media post, overwhelmed Lakra expressed his gratitude and said, “We athletes contribute our life to the sport and when it is acknowledged by Hon’ble PM of the country, it feels like we have really done our bit for nation-building. Heartfelt thanks to Hon’ble Narendra Modi ji for his warm gesture. The time spent with you at the interaction after Tokyo 2020 will always remain memorable. Sir, I will surely take up the suggestion made by you regarding visits to 75 schools as part of #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav and continue to contribute to my country in my own little way.”

Lakra and Pal were both members of the Bronze clinching team at Tokyo. On September 30, Pal and Lakra announced his early retirement from the sport via social media platform citing “paving the way for youth to showcase their talents in the podium”

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent letters of appreciation to the staunch players for their contribution to the well-celebrated sport. 

In his letter to Pal, Modi wrote, “…I would like to personally thank you for all that you have done Indian hockey.” He pointed to Rupinder as a source of inspiration for Indian Hockey for the last decade and applauded him for his part in the resurgence of the sport in the country. 

The PM asked Rupinder to play his part in the Amrit Mahotsav by touring various schools across the country by August 2023. He also requested him to reach out to youngsters on ways to eliminate malnutrition plus promote the sport amongst them. 

“This would be a great service to the coming generations,” Modi added. 

The post Hockey Olympians moved by PM’s appreciation letters first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

While remembering the match day, goalkeeper Savita said, “Now that I have finally had some time to reflect on our performance, I do feel we achieved something outstanding, and the best part was the journey to get here over the past five years. We have endured a lot as a team and as individuals faced tremendous odds to reach this level. I think we will always cherish this journey.”

“Though we lost very closely to Argentina in the semi-finals, we wanted to give our everything against Great Britain and we really wanted that medal around our necks and after beating Australia, we really believed this was achievable,” continued Savita, as quoted by The New Indian Express. She is among six players who have been nominated for the FIH awards. In the category of Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, her name is suggested along with Argentina’s Belen Succi and Great Britain’s Maddie Hinch.

Savita broke into tears after losing the adventurous Bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. Her being consoled by the team’s Analytical Coach Jenneke Schopman depicted the entire nation’s feelings. The women in blue were regarded as the underdogs of the tournament. They stood 12th in Rio Olympics and a handful of people have predicted them to be medal competitors in Tokyo.

“But now I feel the expectations will grow. People have seen that we can perform at top tournaments, and I believe we can live up to these expectations. We now have the experience, and the team is poised to achieve bigger feats. The experience in Rio made us believe in ourselves and we really worked hard to get to this level, now we will work on taking it to the next level,” added she.

Savita said the team’s next goal is to play their best in the calendar year 2022. With a gap of just three years to the next Olympics, their focus is to dispose of outstanding matches at the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, aiming mainly to get on the podium in Paris.

“I actually can’t wait to return to camp in SAI, Bengaluru. It has become a place of comfort for us. There has been a lot of celebrations following the Olympics and now it’s time to get back to reality. Next year is crucial with the Asian Games and our priority will be to win Gold so we automatically qualify for the Paris Olympics. We will resume training with that target in mind,” she concluded.

The post We aim for Paris now, says goalkeeper Savita Punia first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Vivek was part of the national team that claimed Bronze at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. To him, this is a dreamlike moment as he has already been honoured with the award in the 2019-2020 season.

“I never imagined this would happen again. It is a surreal feeling to have been nominated for the second time in the same category (FIH Rising Star of the Year Award),” expressed Vivek graciously.

“I got to know this late in the night when I saw texts from my friends congratulating me. To be honest, it’s really overwhelming,” he continued, as quoted by The Hindu. 

The Indian Hockey body prepared the shortlist of all the divisions of FIH Awards 2020-21.

“It’s the result of teamwork and the support of senior players,” said the 21-year old while expressing gratitude to his seniors. 

“Since my debut, the seniors have been the biggest source of motivation. They have helped me play my natural game without any fear or pressure. That is the biggest reason why I could win the 2019 FIH Rising Star of the Year Award and also stand a chance to receive the honour for the second time,” he added further. 

He also pops off his feelings of winning the Bronze against Germany at the quadrennial games. “I still can’t believe I was part of the Olympic medal-winning team,” he voiced.

“It’s a dream of every athlete and I am really blessed to be able to live this dream at the age of 21.”

Asserting about the efforts put down by the team to execute an exemplary play in the next game, Vivek said, “…this is just the beginning and there’s still a lot of room for improvement. We have raised the bar and we have to do even better. There will be more challenges ahead and we need to be fully prepared for whatever comes our way.”

The post Indian Hockey | Twice in a row Vivek being nominated for FIH rising star first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

They played a wonderful match, said Prime Minister Modi, who updated his Twitter on watching the semifinal match against Belgium. After the results, he had a word with captain Manpreet Singh and clapped for their performance at the stadium. He encouraged the Indian representation to give their best in the play for Bronze.

Former Hockey captain, Jagbir Singh, also tweeted to boost the morale up for India.

Everyone was eying on today’s match as had India managed to win against Belgium, the achievement would have been a huge psychological battle victory. Belgium, in the past decade, scripted a different story to narrate. Their fortunate years have begun since 2011 with winning an Olympic medal, World Cup, European Championship in a span of ten years. Hence, taking down Belgium, No. 2 world champions, happened to be a great deal for India.

The squad, however, was unable to stop the opponent as Alexander Hendrickx thrashed India by scoring hat-tricks.

The Belgium goal-getter, Alexander, tops the goal-scoring charts with 11 goals in the event so far.

Here are the highlights from the match:

Men’s hockey semifinal: India against Belgium

7:00 AM, Teams are standing guard to beat the opponent.

7:02 AM, Belgium get a penalty corner in just 1:04 minutes of play.

7:03 AM, Belgium lead India 1-0 in the second minute of the game. It’s Luypaert, not Hendrickx who goaled for the team.

7:10 AM, India get a PC but Vanasch saves the reverse from Manpreet after a poor stop routine. But another PC was awarded to India for transgression.

7:10 AM, India equalize through Harmanpreet Singh. Both the team stands 1-1.

7:16 AM, GOAL!!! Mandeep goaled for India. Team Blue is ahead of Belgium 2-1.

7:23 AM, First Quarter ends.

7:28 AM, Match is fierce. Belgium is now showing some pressure on the podium. But India swings back all three, despite being less a player, Rupinder Pal Singh, in the team. Rupinder rushed out early and sent to the half-line. India leads 2-1.

7:30 AM, Another PC for Belgium. This time Hendrickx goaled. Belgium 2-2 India.

7:49 AM, End of the second quarter.

8:05 AM, The Weather condition is adverse. The humidity level in Tokyo is almost 80%. Such conditions are a big test of players’ fitness as well. But the game continues. India earns their fifth penalty corner in the 38th minute. Belgium loses video referral as well. No goal this time, both teams 2-2.

8:21 AM, Fourth Quarter begins. Fifteen minutes left to match ending.

8:23 AM, Capt. Manpreet is out for two minutes with a green card. Belgium gets their 8th PC. Striking move from Rohidas, blocking Hendrickx. But the ball hits his leg and 9th PC for Belgium. India thwarts but made a mistake. Another PC.

8:25 AM, Hendrickx, drag-flicker, secured another goal. Belgium is now ahead 3-2. This is his 12th goal of the Games in Tokyo.

8:33 AM, India is tensed. Pressure is all over. Only 7:31 minutes left for the match to end and India lags 2-3.

8:34 AM, Penalty stroke for Belgium. This can finish the game for India. Hendrickx scores another goal, completes his hat-trick with his 14th goal of the Games. India trail 2-4 with 7 minutes left in the game.

8:45 AM, Belgium beat India 5-2 with the final goal scored by Dohmen in the first semifinal match at the Olympics. Belgium registered their second consecutive Olympic final, while India will play Germany or Australia for bronze. Thanks to Hendrickx for scoring hat-tricks, Luypaert for a goal in the second minute and Dohman to seal the victory by securing a goal in the last minute. While Harmanpreet and Mandeep scored for India.

India will now face Germany for the Bronze!

The post India will now race for Bronze, lost to Belgium 2-5 first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

On the other hand, Belgium claimed entered the semifinal by defeating Spain in an adventurous match. Both the teams are ready to set the stage on fire tomorrow. Before the semifinal match, here are the one-on-one records between the opponent teams.

Head-to-head record

The national team played against Belgium three times in 2019. team played against Belgium three times in their tour of the country back in 2019. At that time, Belgium lost all the matches to India. In one of the games, the Indians lambasted Belgium 5-1.

If records are taken into account, India is ahead of the Belgians in their last five matches. They have registered 4 wins in the last 5 matches against Belgium.

The last time when India and Belgium fought against each other in the Olympics, things didn’t turn out very well for team India as they were beaten 3-1 by the European nation.

Where do they stand at world rankings?

Belgium is at the top position in the world. The European nation maintained in top form for a long time. They named the World Cup and European championships to get themselves to the World No. 1 spot.

The Indian team, on the other hand, isn’t that far from in terms of quality. With their brilliant form and spectacular performance, they are placed at their best-ever ranking of World No. 3

The post India to face Belgium in Semis on Aug 3, who is going to win? first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.