Hockey legend Charanjit Singh passes away

Captain of India’s 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, Charanjit Singh, died on Thursday at his home in Una, Himachal Pradesh after suffering a cardiac arrest that followed prolonged age-related illnesses.

Prolonged illness

The former mid-fielder was 90 and would have turned a year older next month. He is survived by two sons and one daughter. Charanjit suffered a stroke five years ago and was 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.

Charanjit was also part of the 1960 Games silver-winning and 1962 Asian Games silver-winning team. The two-time Olympian was a part of India’s glorious days.

Charanjit was an alumni of Col Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun and Punjab University. After his illustrious career in international hockey, he worked as the director of the Physical Education department in Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla.

HI’s condolence

Hockey India condoled the death of Charanjit, saying the country has lost a legend of the sport.

“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 during India’s golden days of hockey,” HI president Gyanendro Nigombam said.