Olympian Hardyal Singh’s city link

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 20

People associated with Hockey Olympian Hardyal Singh, who died at the age of 90 in Dehradun three days ago, fondly remember him. City-based Dr Harpreet Gill, Senior Consultant in the Department of Orthopaedics, SPS Hospitals, remembers how his department was abuzz with the news of India’s ace hockey player visiting Ludhiana for his total knee replacement more than a decade back.

“It was a great experience for my surgical team to interact with the stalwart sportsman and to help relieve him of his disabling pain of knee joints. Prior to his knee replacement, Olympian Hardyal Singh was even experiencing difficulty in walking due to disabling arthritis of knee. After his knee-replacement surgery, he became quite active and was raring to coach the Indian Hockey Team again,’’ said the surgeon.

Post bilateral knee replacement about 12 years back, the sportsman often visited Ludhiana for his post-operative check-ups and he was active till almost his last days, he added.

“I remember two of his observations all the time,” says Dr Gill. “First that India would soon win hockey gold in the Olympics and second that further knee replacements would be revolutionised so much that people would be able to run and play hockey post knee replacements. Me and my surgical team will miss his yearly New Year wishes,’’ said Dr Gill.

Hardayal Singh was part of the Indian hockey team that won gold medal in the 1956 Summer Olympics at Melbourne. He is remembered for his legendary five goals in a match against the United States in 1956 when India thrashed the US and won 16-0. He coached the Indian Hockey Team from 1983 to 1987 and later on became an adviser to the Indian Hockey Federation. He was also a recipient of the Dhyan Chand Award.

He retired from the post of Subedar in the Indian Army in 1969.