Hockey is a sport in which India has historically had a stronghold having won multiple Olympic medals during the last century. The country has also produced several icons in the field of Hockey that are still talked about as an example in various educational institutions for their gameplay and awareness on the field.
In this article, we will look at the top five legendary players who have represented India on the international stage.
The Legends: Five Legendary Hockey Players Of India
Dhyan Chand
One of the best players the sport has ever seen Dhyan Chand was known for his agility on the field. He had the ability to carry the ball to the post of the opposition single-handedly as a result of which people and fellow players used to think that there was some kind of magic in his hockey stick. Dhyan Chand was awarded Padma Bhushan by the government of India. Interestingly Chand was a name given to him as he used to practice in the moonlight.
Balbir Singh Sr.
Balbir Singh is another one of those legendary players that India has produced in the field of Hockey. Known as the best forward in the Indian team Balbir Singh Sr, is only the second Indian player to win gold medals in three successive Olympic games. The former player won medals for his performances in the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Olympics. He was also an integral part of the Indian team that won the silver medal in the Asian Games in two conductive editions of the multi-sporting event in the year 1958 and 1962.
The Record
Balbir Singh also has the record of scoring five goals in the 1952 Olympics in India’s victory over Neheraland a record which is still intact. In 1957 he was awarded the Padma Shri and became the first sportsperson to be given the award. Under his coaching, India won the Hockey World Cup in 1975.
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Dhanraj Pillay
Like Dhyan Chand Dhanraj Pillay also had the ability to carry the ball single-handedly into the goal post of the opposition. The former Indian captain became famous outside India because of his extraordinary skills with the stick. Dhanraj was the recipient of many national awards which included the Arjuna Award in 1995 KK Birla Award in 1998-99 for his contribution to the field of Hockey and sports in general.
The Performance
The Government of India facilitated Pillay with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1999 and Padma Shri in 2000. Dhanraj Pillay featured in 3 World Cups, 3 Olympics, and 4 Asian games for India.
Ajit Pal Singh
The Former Indian captain played a vital role in helping India win the 1975 World Cup. Ajit Pal Singh represented India in three Olympic games having made his debut in 1960 and was known for his skills as a centre forward who could control the game nicely. He was the captain part of the team that won silver medals in the 1970 and 1974 Asian Games. Ajit Pal Singh was facilitated with the Arjuna Award in 1970 and Padma Shri in the year 1992.
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Udham Singh
Udham Singh, known as the pillar of Indian Hockey was considered one of the best players that the country has produced. Singh could have represented India in five successive Olympics had he not been dropped from the team due to injuries after making his debut in the year 1949.
The Achievements
He was given the Arjuna Award in the year 1965 and Padma Shri for his contribution to the game and was also the coach of India when the team won the silver medal in the 1968 Olympic Games and at the Asian Games in 1970.
