Beginning this week, we introduce a new column featuring facts about the Indian Railways. We are thankful to Mayank Tiwari, director of National Rail Museum , New Delhi for extending his support and helping us put together fascinating details about the Railways.

Well-known for his exploits on the hockey field, few are aware that Leslie Walter Claudius started his hockey career with the Railways. The first hockey player to represent the country in four Olympics and win as many medals, it was a fortuitous incident that lead to Leslie Claudius taking up hockey at the highest level. In the year 1946, 19-year old Leslie was representing the Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) in football. During a Beighton Cup hockey match in Calcutta, Leslie was watching BNR play, when one of the players in the hockey team was injured. Fortunately for Leslie and for the country, no immediate replacement was on hand and the captain, Dickie Carr, another Olympian and one who knew Leslie well, thrust a hockey stick towards him and asked him to play.

The rest is history. As a permanent right half-back, Claudius represented India at the 1948, 1952, 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winning four medals, including three golds. His only regret: his team in the last Games in Rome (1960) won silver, under his captaincy.
— By J L Singh