https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Charanjit_Singh_%28field_hockey%29Charanjit Singh (field hockey) - Revision history2026-08-20T02:59:58ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charanjit_Singh_(field_hockey)&diff=493573&oldid=prevUPMTaj45723: added a bio first draft...2026-04-13T05:16:43Z<p>added a bio first draft...</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian field hockey player (1931–2022)}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2015}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox sportsperson<br />
| name = Charanjit Singh<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|02|03|df=y}}<br />
| birth_place = Mairi Village, Punjab, [[British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|01|27|1931|02|03|df=y}}<br />
| death_place = [[Una, Himachal Pradesh]], India<br />
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}<br />
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Field hockey]]}}<br />
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}} [[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]<br />
{{MedalGold|[[1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Tokyo]]|[[Field hockey at the 1964 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}<br />
{{MedalSilver|[[1960 Summer Olympics|1960 Rome]] |[[Field hockey at the 1960 Summer Olympics|Team]]}}<br />
{{MedalCompetition|[[Field hockey at the Asian Games|Asian Games]]}}<br />
{{MedalSilver|[[Field hockey at the 1962 Asian Games|1962 Jakarta]]|[[Field hockey at the 1962 Asian Games|Team]]}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Charanjit Singh''' (3 February 1931{{Efn|There is some confusion with Singh's date of birth. Most sources indicate Singh was born on 3 February 1931. However, the Indian newspaper ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' references Singh's date of birth in an obituary as 20 November 1929.<ref>{{Cite web|date=27 January 2022|title=Hockey legend Charanjit Singh dies aged 92|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/hockey/hockey-legend-charanjit-singh-dies-aged-92-101643276511864.html|access-date=31 January 2022|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>}} – 27 January 2022) was an Indian [[field hockey]] player who was the captain of the team that won the gold medal at the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]]. He was also a member of the team that won the silver medal at the [[1960 Summer Olympics]] in [[Rome]] and the [[1962 Asian Games]] in [[Jakarta]].<br />
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Singh was a recipient of the Indian government's [[Arjuna Award]] in 1963 and the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian honor, in 1964.<br />
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== Early life ==<br />
Singh was born on 3 February 1931 in [[Una district|Mairi]] Village in the Amb subdivision of [[Una district]] in present day [[Himachal Pradesh]] (then [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British Raj]]). Charanjit Singh was an alumnus of [[Col. Brown Cambridge School]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/hockey/hockey-legend-charanjit-singh-dies-aged-92-101643276511864.html|title=Hockey legend Charanjit Singh dies aged 92|date=27 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/hockey/story/india-hockey-great-and-olympic-gold-medalist-charanjit-singh-dies-1905068-2022-01-27|title = India hockey great and Olympic gold medalist Charanjit Singh dies| date=27 January 2022 }}</ref> [[Dehradun]] and was exposed to hockey during his time there.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Former Indian hockey team captain and Olympian Charanjit Singh dies|language=en|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/former-indian-hockey-team-captain-and-olympian-charanjit-singh-dies/articleshow/89151042.cms|access-date=27 January 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Singh graduated with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree from the Government Agricultural College, [[Lyallpur]] (in modern-day Pakistan). During this time, he represented [[Panjab University]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=28 January 2022|title=Charanjit Singh, hockey captain who won back Olympic gold for India, passes away|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/hockey/hockey-legend-charanjit-singh-dies-7744031/|access-date=30 January 2022|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Career ==<br />
Singh started his career representing [[Punjab Police (India)|Punjab Police]] and was picked for the Indian team in the early 1950s, playing as a midfielder (also referred to as center-half) in a team that included [[Leslie Claudius]], [[Keshav Dutt]], and [[Joseph Antic]], all playing in the midfield position.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=28 January 2022|title=Charanjit Singh, hockey captain who won back Olympic gold for India, passes away|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/hockey/hockey-legend-charanjit-singh-dies-7744031/|access-date=30 January 2022|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=29 January 2022|title=Charanjit Singh will be remembered for his role in helping India regain its supremacy on the hockey field|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/charanjit-singh-will-be-remembered-india-hockey-7746534/|access-date=30 January 2022|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><br />
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Singh was the captain of the [[Indian hockey team]] that won the gold medal at the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]]. He was also a member of the team that won the silver medal at the [[Field hockey at the 1960 Summer Olympics]] in [[Rome]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Hockey captain Charanjit Singh who got India 1964 Olympic gold dies at 92|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/hockey-captain-who-got-india-1964-olympic-gold-dies-at-92-364765|access-date=30 January 2022|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref> He also represented India in two [[Asian Games]], including the [[1962 Asian Games]] in [[Jakarta]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He is credited with returning the gold medal to the Indian team in 1964, when earlier in both the 1962 Asian games and in the 1960 Olympics, the country had lost in the finals to Pakistan.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Singh had missed the final against Pakistan due to an injury.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=29 January 2022|title=Charanjit Singh will be remembered for his role in helping India regain its supremacy on the hockey field|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/charanjit-singh-will-be-remembered-india-hockey-7746534/|access-date=30 January 2022|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> In 1964, under Singh's captaincy, the Indian team won a few tournaments leading up to the Olympics, and remained unbeaten in the Olympics, winning seven matches and drawing two, before defeating Australia 3-1 in the semifinals, and Pakistan, 1-0 in the finals.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> In an editorial, the Indian newspaper, ''[[The Indian Express]]'', called Singh's style of play "crafty" and him a "member of the golden generation", referring to him and some of his peers including [[Balbir Singh Dosanjh]], [[Keshav Dutt]], and Balbir Singh Junior. The newspaper went on to note that he would be "remembered as one of the key men responsible for India regaining its supremacy on the hockey field".<ref name=":3" /><br />
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He was a recipient of the [[Arjuna Award]] in 1963 and the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian honor, in 1964.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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After his retirement from the sport, he served as the [[Dean of students|dean of student welfare]] at [[Punjab Agricultural University]] and later at the Hisar Agricultural University, before going on to become the director of sports at [[Himachal Pradesh University]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /><br />
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== Personal life ==<br />
Singh was married and had two sons and a daughter.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=27 January 2022|title=Remembering Charanjit Singh, the hockey legend who led India to gold in 1964 Tokyo Olympics|url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/obituary/remembering-charanjit-singh-the-hockey-legend-who-led-india-to-gold-in-1964-tokyo-olympics-12269702.htm|access-date=31 January 2022|website=cnbctv18.com|language=en}}</ref> Singh died from a heart attack at his home in [[Una, Himachal Pradesh]], on 27 January 2022, seven days before his 91st birthday.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hockey legend Charanjit Singh dies|publisher=[[Press Trust of India]]|url=http://www.ptinews.com/news/13077603_Hockey-legend-Charanjit-Singh-dies.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Hockey Olympian Charanjit Singh passes away at 90|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/hockey-olympian-charanjit-singh-passes-away-364672|access-date=27 January 2022|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|language=en}}</ref> He had suffered a [[Paralysis|paralytic attack]] five years before his death.<ref name=":1" /> His wife had predeceased him 12 years earlier.<ref name=":5" /><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Field hockey in India]]<br />
* [[List of Indian hockey captains in Olympics]]<br />
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== Explanatory notes ==<br />
{{Notelist}}<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* {{Sports links}}<br />
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{{India FH Squad 1960 Summer Olympics}}<br />
{{India FH Squad 1962 Asian Games}}<br />
{{India FH Squad 1964 Summer Olympics}}<br />
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Sports}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Charanjit}}<br />
[[Category:1931 births]]<br />
[[Category:2022 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for India]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games field hockey players for India]]<br />
[[Category:Field hockey players at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Field hockey players at the 1962 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Field hockey players at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Field hockey players from Himachal Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Indian men's field hockey players]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian sportsmen]]<br />
[[Category:Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Medalists at the 1962 Asian Games]]<br />
[[Category:Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]<br />
[[Category:Olympic field hockey players for India]]<br />
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for India]]<br />
[[Category:Olympic medalists in field hockey]]<br />
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for India]]<br />
[[Category:People from Una district]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists in field hockey]]</div>UPMTaj45723