Harbinder Singh (born 8 July 1943 in Quetta) is a former field hockey player from India. He started his international career in 1961 at the age of 18 years oungest member of the teamwith a tour to New Zealand and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

with Indian hockey team. During the span of 12 years from 1961 to 1972 had represented the country in three

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

– Tokyo 1964 — gold medal cored highest field goals – 5 out of 9 goals Mexico 1968 — bronze medal cored highest field goals – 6 out of 11, including hat-trick against Mexicoand was also selected as a centre forward in the " World XI", in Munich 1972 — bronze medal.

Career

He represented the country in three

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until t ...

at Bangkok 1966—won Gold Medal, again at Bangkok 1970 won silver medal and was captain of the team and at Seoul 1986 as chief coach of the Indian Women's hockey team and won the bronze medal.Avengers of 1964 who reclaimed gold in last Tokyo Olympics
''Indian Express''. Retrieved 4 September 2021 He also represented India in two international hockey tournaments at Lyons, France, in 1963, and Hamburg, Germany, in 1966, winning the gold medal at both places. At Hamburg, scored 4 goals out of 8 field goals in the tournaments. He represented the country in Pre-Olympic hockey tournament at London in 1967 and won the bronze medal. Singh represented Punjab state and Indian Railways in the National Hockey Championships from 1961–1972 and won 8 Gold and 2 Silver Medals as an active player and as a coach of the Indian Railways Hockey Team from 1975–1993 won 8 Gold and 4 Silver Medals. He represented Punjab in the National Athletic Championship at Trivandrum in 1959 and won the gold medal in the 4x100M Relay Race in juniors. He also represented Indian Railways in the All India Open Athletic Championship at Sangrur unjabin 1967 and won the gold medal in 4x100M Relay Race. It is a very rare feat to win gold medals in two different sports, i.e., hockey and athletics.

Awards and honours

He was conferred with '

Arjuna Award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjuna, one ...

' in 1967, 'Railway Minister Award' in 1966 and 'Best Sportsman Of The Railways' in 1972. He was member of the Selection Committee of Indian Hockey Federation for juniors 980-1984 and 1994–1998and Women Hockey Federation for juniors and seniors 004–2009 Presently he is the member of the Selection Committee of ' Hockey India' and was Manager of the Indian Junior Men Hockey Team toured to Kenya 984 Being a sprinter he was the fastest centre forward in the 1960s and 1970s. In an interview to the print media Shri. K.D. Singh Babu, chief coach Indian Hockey team in the

1972 Munich Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

observed that "Harbinder is still the fastest of the Indian Forwards". He was capable of scoring goals by picking up ball from centre line, beating host of defenders with sheer speed, dash and artistry on many occasions. Worth mentioning goals are an equalizer against Pakistan within 20 seconds at Hamburg 1966, stunned each player and spectator and also scored two goals against Holland. Scored two goals against Australia in Pre-Olympics at

Lord's Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...

ondonin 1967 and was mentioned in print media as "Harbinder's both goals with great dash and surely the bowler hatted monocle occupant of the Long Room at

will talk of him in years to come in same admiring terms as of Graveney and

Sobers Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, (born 28 July 1936), also known as Sir Gary or Sir Garry Sobers, is a former cricketer who played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. A highly skilled bowler, an aggressive batsman and an excellent fielder, ...

" and 1 goal in same manner against Germany in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He earned the distinction to replace such Olympic centre forwards as Major Dhyan Chand and Balbir Singh senior. He associated with the game of Hockey for the last 54 years since 1961 serving the Nation for the promotion of Hockey as a Player, Coach, Selector, Organiser and Govt. Observer. He won 36 Gold, 8 Silver and 4 Bronze Medals in various National and International Competitions during his sports career.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Harbinder 1943 births Living people Indian male field hockey players Olympic field hockey players for India Olympic gold medalists for India Olympic bronze medalists for India Olympic medalists in field hockey Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1968 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Asian Games medalists in field hockey Field hockey players at the 1966 Asian Games Field hockey players at the 1970 Asian Games Recipients of the Arjuna Award Field hockey players from Punjab, India Asian Games gold medalists for India Asian Games silver medalists for India Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games