New Indian Express: Balbir Singh Sr meets Sports Minister to seek help

NEW DELHI: Indian hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr today met Sports Minister Jitendra Singh and sought his help in tracing his belongings, including 36 medals and the 1956 Olympics captain’s blazer, which have gone missing from the Sports Authority of India’s custody.

The 91-year-old, who was a member of three Olympic gold medal winning teams in London (1948), Helsinki (1952), and Melbourne (1956 as captain), has been assured by the Minister of action in the matter.

Singh, who was in the city to receive the Indian of the Year ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, told the Minister that his belongings have remained untraced despite numerous RTIs filed with SAI.

Jitendra Singh assured him that action will be initiated “afresh to recover these symbols of India’s glorious sporting heritage”.

Singh also apprised the Minister of the fact that 2016 is the diamond jubilee year of the 1956 Olympics, whereindependent India completed a hat-trick of Olympic gold medals.

The Indian hockey team had set an unmatched record of being the only side to win an Olympic gold without conceding a single goal in any of the matches. The tournament score of Indian team was an astonishing 38-0.

The Minister assured him that the momentous achievement will be commemorated.

Besides being a player par excellence, Singh was the Manager and Chief Coach of the Indian team for the 1975 World Cup, which India won, and the 1971 World Cup, where India settled for a bronze medal.

During the London Olympics in 2012, Singh was honoured in the Olympic Museum exhibition, “The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games” held at the Royal Opera House.