Triple Olympian Shankar Laxman is a unique player: The goalkeeper donned India’s colours in three successive Olympics and Asian Games. But all his hockey achievements, he started his sporting career in football! While at School in Mhow (Military Head Quarters of War) in Madhya Pradesh – where he lived till his last breath – Shankar Laxman played football as a stopper. When joined the Services in 1947 and attached to 5th Maratha Light Infantry his passion for football continued. It was only in 1953 his colleague Major Sanwal Singh advised him to shift to hockey goalkeeping. This has once and for all changed the career graph of simpleton Shankar Laxman.

He took to goalkeeping as duck would take to water. In 1954, he was selected for the Brigade and Division’s hockey team and for the Command next year. Year 1955 marked watershed for Laxman having been selected for the prestigious Services team and then for the Warsaw International Hockey Festival (Poland), which India won. Since then Laxman’s midas touch with Indian hockey continued unhindered for another decade. Shankar Laxman played the finals of three Olympics, without giving away single goal in two of them. These feats won him applause and awards in number.

After 1956 and 1964 Olympics, International Olympic Committee conferred him a diploma for being the outstanding goalkeeper in the world. Some of Shankar Laxman’s achievements are unique and unsurpassable. He was the first goalkeeper-captain in the world where the leadership used to be preserve of stylish scorers. He was not given the leadership even when he was on his third Olympics (1964), but his heroism there changed the mindset; he led India at the Bangkok Asian Games two years later, giving India its maiden Asiad gold. It took another 32 years for India to repeat the feat. He played three Olympics finals (1956, 1960 1964) against the same rivals, but conceded just a goal. Similarly, three Asian Games final (no final in 1958 but only title deciding league, 1962 and 1966), but just two goals conceded. In all, six finals against mighty Pakistan but Laxman conceded just three goals.

Shankar Laxman received sporting honour ‘Arjuna’ in 1964 and top civilian award ‘Padamshree’ in 1966, till the date only goalkeeper to get both the prestigious acclaims. PR Sreejesh match his feat later.

He also got Air Vice Marshal Jashwant Singh Trophy for being the best Services sportsmen.  

RELATED ARTICLE: Extract from Great Indian Olympians