NEW DELHI: India mourned the loss of one of its greatest Olympic legend and hockey star Balbir Singh Senior, who died in Chandigarh on Monday morning.
He had been in hospital after suffering three heart attacks in recent weeks.
The mortal remains of international hockey icon and #PadmaShri Balbir Singh Senior were consigned to flames with full state honours at local electric crematorium.
Balbir Singh Senior’s grandson Kabir Singh lit the pyre in presence of deceased daughter Sushbir Kaur.
Singh, 95, helped the newly independent country win its ever gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics.
He won three Olympic hockey golds for India and became one his country’s biggest sporting heroes.
“The hockey family has lost one of its most iconic, beloved and celebrated individuals, triple Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr, who passed away in Chandigarh, India after a prolonged illness at the age of 95,” tweeted International Hockey Federation.
Singh was in the teams that won the Olympic title in London, Helsinki in 1952 and four year’s later led the team in Melbourne in 1956.
His five goals in the 6-1 defeat of the Netherlands in 1952 remain a record for an Olympic final.
India beat the former colonial power Great Britain 4-0 in the 1948 final which came only a few months after the country’s Independence on August 15, 1947.
Singh scored two of India’s goals at Wembley stadium and became one of the biggest stars of the Games.
Singh was also the manager of the Indian side that won the 1975 World Cup. “He was a hard task master,” said Ajit Pal Singh, who was captain of the 1975 team.
“I still remember how he imbibed, self belief and unity which helped us to win,” Pal Singh told Press Trust of India news agency.
India has not won an Olympic title since their eighth gold at the 1980 Moscow Games.
