Remembering Indian hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr on his first death anniversary | Hockey News – Times of India

It’s been a year. The number of visitors at his Sector-36 home in Chandigarh have dropped. His daughter and grandson still flip through the albums, like the legend, Balbir Singh Sr himself, would often do — until his room turned into a ‘home ICU’ last year.
He fought like being 0-2 down in a game to level things up at 2-2. Everytime the illness (multiple issues) scored to send him to the ICU, he would hit back and return home with that infectious smile, which finally faded on May 25, 2020.
He was 95.
“It actually feels like he is still there, like hune awaaz aayegi [he will call from his room] that he needs something,” said his grandson Kabir Singh talking to Timesofindia.com.
Balbir Sr slipped into a semi-comatose state on May 18 last year; and a week later, after multiple complications led to a blood clot in his brain, the winner of three Olympic gold medals bid his final goodbye.

“One year has passed by, but we still hurt,” wrote his daughter Sushbir Bhomia in a Facebook post. “Too many memories to deal with! Though he raised me as a strong girl, but a feeling of helplessness creeps up many a times, then again his teachings jolt me up and instill courage in me.”
He was cremated with full State honours amid strict Covid-19 protocol. A year on, the pandemic state of Covid-19 hasn’t ended, which will prevent any remembrance meets in the memory of one of India’s greatest hockey players.
“In view of the Covid spread all over and from our side taking all necessary precautions and safety measures, we had decided not to have any gathering at our residence for Balbir Singh Sr’s first death anniversary,” Sushbir further wrote on social media.
“We thought the best way to remember the pious soul would be by listening to Sukhmani Sahib path [holy Sikh verses] … on 25 May to pray for the departed soul to rest in peace.”
Besides a daughter, Balbir Sr has three sons — Kanwalbir Singh, Karanbir Singh and Gurbir Singh.

The Government of Punjab will commemorate the day by renaming the Mohali international hockey stadium as ‘Olympian Balbir Singh Sr International Hockey Stadium’.
The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) last year was one of Balbir Singh Sr’s last public appearances. He was the winner of the ‘Icon of the Century’ award at TOISA 2019.
Despite being on intermittent oxygen support, he made the effort to travel for the award ceremony from Chandigarh to Delhi with his grandson Kabir.
Some of his words from that day after receiving the award may turn out to be prophetic, with the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to begin in less than two months’ time.
“I wish we will go to the Olympics and win a gold medal,” Balbir Sr had said, as one of his best friends and cricket legend Bishan Singh Bedi stood alongside holding his arm.

“It’s my wish; who knows, it may come true. So all the best.”
BRIEF PROFILE
Name: Balbir Singh Dosanjh (Sr)
Date of Birth: 10/10/1924
Place of Birth: Haripur, Jalandhar
Employer/Domestic Team: Punjab Police
Position: Centre forward
International Debut: May 1947
Last International match: May 1958
Olympic Appearances: London 1948 (Gold), Helsinki 1952 (Gold), Melbourne 1956 (Gold)
Olympic Captaincy: Melbourne 1956
World Record: Scored five goals in the men’s hockey final at 1952 Olympics. The unbroken record is also registered as a Guinness World Record for most goals in an Olympic hockey final.
Padma Shri: 1957, first hockey player to receive the honour
Books Authored: Autobiography ‘The Golden Hat Trick: My Hockey Days’ (1977) and ‘The Golden Yardstick: In Quest of Hockey Excellence’ (2008)