Hoped to see Balbir Singh live till 100: Harcharan Singh

​​Indervir Grewal
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 25

India lost one of its greatest sports legends on Monday. One of the last surviving players from the golden era of hockey, Balbir Singh Senior passed away at the age of 95.​

One of his protégés, Harcharan Singh, said he had hoped to see Balbir Senior live till a 100 at least.​

“It is a big loss for the country,” said Olympics and World Cup medallist Harcharan Singh.

“I was hoping against hope that he would recover. I always said to myself that he would live till a 100 at least,” he added.​

Balbir Senior won three Olympics gold medals (1948, 1952, 1956) as a player and a World Cup gold (1975) as a manager. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1957. He was the only Indian to be chosen among the 16 athletes who were named Iconic Olympians by the International Olympic Committee. ​

“He was one of the biggest names in international sport and it is such a shame that because of coronavirus, he will not get the farewell he deserves,” added Harcharan Singh, who was a member of the 1975 World Cup team.

“If it wasn’t for the coronavirus, all of us would have been there at the cremation,” he added.​

Ajit Pal Singh, captain of the 1975 World Cup team, said he was saddened by the loss. “He was a role model for us. I cannot even express how big of a loss it is,” Ajit Pal Singh said.​

Though Balbir Senior had a fighting spirit, Ajit Pal Singh said it was difficult to see the great man suffer.​

“But you could see he was suffering. He had been in the hospital last year as well,” Ajit Pal Singh said.​

Last year, Balbir Senior had spent over 100 days in intensive care at PGI due to bronchial pneumonia.​

Ajit Pal Singh said that he would always remember Balbir Senior as a “gentleman”.