Chandigarh, India, April 14, 2021: Balbir Singh Junior, who was a member of India’s silver medal-winning hockey team at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, passed away last Sunday, April 11. He was 88.
India finished as runners-up to Pakistan in the five-team hockey tournament in Tokyo. The two South Asian giants both won three of their four games in the round-robin competition and drew 0-0 against each other, meaning Pakistan won gold on goal difference, +19 to India’s +15. Korea won the bronze medal ahead of Malaysia and Japan.
“The Sports Authority of India expresses condolences on the death of esteemed hockey player Balbir Singh Junior who was part of the Indian team that won silver at the 1958 Asian Games,” the SAI said in a statement.
“During his career, he was a teammate with the likes of Balbir Singh Senior, Leslie Claudius and Prithpal Singh.”
Born on May 2, 1932 at Sansarpur, Punjab, Balbir Singh Junior started playing hockey at the age of six seeing his elder brothers play the sport in the hockey ground at the village.
For the 1958 Asian Games, Balbir Singh Junior was picked in the team as a back-up to Balbir Singh Senior as a centre-forward but played as an inside-left in the tournament.
Hockey India President Gyanendro Nigombam said: “On behalf of Hockey India, I express my deepest condolences to Balbir Singh Junior’s family. His contribution to Indian hockey will always be remembered and the hockey fraternity mourns his demise.”
He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.