Udham Singh - Sikhs The Supreme

Village Sansarpur (Jalandhar) born S.Udham Singh is the ONLY Indian hockey player who donned national colours in four successive Olympics and won 3 gold medals (lst in 1952 in Helsinki Olympics, 2nd in 1956 in Melbourne Olympics, 3rd in 1964 in Tokyo Olympics) and one silver medal (in 1960 in Rome Olympics). This feat, an unprecedented in the history of international hockey, recorded his name in GUINNESS Book of World Records. He could have become the only Indian to represent India in five successive Olympics, had he been fit for selection for the London Olympics in 1948 but injury prevented him from acquiring that honour.

During the tenure of hockey career he captained India hockey team thrice, first in 1953 when the Indian team went on a tour of Warsaw (Poland), secondly when team of India The Mighty Sikhs / 181 was on a tour of East African and European countries in 1959, and last time when the team was on a tour of Austria and New Zealand in 1961. He was deputy captain of the team which represented India in 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He had been the national coach of Indian hockey team from 1966 to 1972. He coached Indian hockey team sent to 1968 and 1972 Olympics. On account of his magnificent role in Indian hockey, he was awarded the coveted Arjuna award in 1965. He died on March 23, 1999.

He is remembered as a versatile forward who could play at left-inside, right-inside, centre-forward or centre-half. He dedicated and devoted his whole life to hockey. First he served Punjab Police and then he joined B.S.F.

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