K. ARUMUGAM

1960 Olympics silver medallist Jaswant Singh Gill, 91 is no more. According to his family sources, the Olympian was admitted for Chest infection in October last year and then suffered a heart attack. However, he was seen to be doing well since then before the end came suddenly today in Mumbai.

“He was recovering fast. It was almost sudden my Tayyaji passed away today” said his grandson Sukh Deepak Gill.

Jaswant Singh Gill

Jaswant was born on September 30, 1931, in a village named Gurusar Sadhar near Ludhiana in rural Punjab, to Sarwan Singh Gill and Tej Kaur Gill. His grandfather Sadda Singh Gill was much respected in the area and was instrumental in setting up the Khalsa School at Sadhar.

Following his family tradition  he joined the Indian Army. He joined Bengal Engineering Group at Roorkie, Uttar Pradesh. Jaswant’s career received a shot in the arm when was transferred to Meerut where he got the opportunity to play under the great Dhyan Chand, the Wizard himself!

He was the centre-forward of India’s Rome Olympic team under the captaincy of late legend Leslie Claudius.

More about the departed soul in the link: Jaswant Singh of a kind

Last year photo of late Jawant Singh Gill