Kusum Arora

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 8

Reminiscing the golden days of Indian Hockey, scores of Olympians gathered at the local Hansraj Stadium to pay tributes to the legendary Olympian Surjit Singh Randhawa on his 25 th death anniversary.

It was a moment to remember the iconic figure who brought laurels to the country and worked untiringly for the causes of the players. His charisma on the turf as the world penalty expert and full back and as a humble human being earned him fans and friends across the globe.

Olympian Surjit Singh died in a car accident on January 7, 1984 on his way back from Gurdaspur after meeting experts for a ‘Benefit Match’. The match was to be held between India and Pakistan.

Ram Partap a close friend of Randhawa, who was travelling along with him when the accident took place said, “The hockey world lost a pioneer and I lost my dear friend – a man of strength and principles, who earned fame everywhere”, he added.

His fans held a match on the day of his bhog ceremony and the rest is history. “After that day we never looked back. This is a tribute to the man who became synonymous to Hockey within a short duration”, he maintained.

Earlier President of Surjit Hockey Society cum Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Ajeet Singh Pannu handed over a cheque of Rs 2 Lakh to his family sent by Deputy Chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. On this occasion, sports kits were also distributed to the budding hockey players of the area.

Honorary Secretary of Surjit Hockey tournament, Iqbal Singh Sandhu said that despite being a hockey player of repute he was attached to his roots. “It was always a charm meeting him. All I remember about him is his personal touch, which makes us remember him till date.”

The Olympian during his stint as a hockey player participated in the Fifth World Cup Hockey Tournament, the 1974 and 1978 Asian Games. In the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games he was acclaimed as one of the best full backs in the world.

In 1973, he was included in the World Hockey XI and a year after he was a member of the All-Star Hockey XI. He was also the top scorer — both in the Esanda International hockey Tournament at Perth and the 1978 Asian Games.