Hockey Legend Balbir Singh Sr Passes Away At 95

His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men’s hockey final of the Olympics is still unbeaten. 

MOHALI (Punjab): Balbir Singh Senior, the three-time Olympic gold medal-winning hockey legend died in a private hospital at Mohali, Punjab today morning. He was 95 and is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, Gurbir.

Director of Fortis Hospital at Mohali, Abhijit Singh said that he breathed his last at 6.30 AM

He was admitted to this hospital on May 8 and was in a semi-comatose state since May 18 and had developed a blood clot in his brain after being first admitted to the hospital for bronchial pneumonia with a high fever.

One of the country’s greatest athletes, Balbir 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 is still unbeaten.

A key member of the Indian side at the Olympics from 1948-1956, Balbir Singh was also the captain and is considered one of the best centre-forwards of all times.

He was also the manager of the only World Cup-winning Indian side in 1975, the first sportsperson to be awarded the Padma Shri (1957) and the lone Indian and hockey player to be included in the IOC’s ‘Olympic Icons”, a select group of 16 all-time Olympic greats honoured during the London Olympics.

A state funeral will be held for Balbir Singh Sr in his hometown Chandigarh at 5:30 pm on Monday at the sector 25 electric crematorium.