Indian Hockey & Sansarpur Hockey

Sl.No		No. of  respondents who mentioned the name			Name	Playing      Position		Outstanding         technique
	1.		11	Mohan Singh Aassi			R. I.	Outstanding Schemer
	2.		03	Shamsher Singh Kullar			F. B.	Powerful hitter
	3.		03	Karnail Singh Kullar			C. F.	Scorer
	4.		03	Modan Singh Sohal			F. B	Pleanty Corner Expert
	5.		02	Sadhu Singh Kullar			L. I.	Schemer
	6.		02	Atma Singh Kullar			F. B.	Dependable F. B.
	7.		02	Pritam Singh Kullar			G. K.	Outstanding G.K.
	8.		02	Jaswinder Singh Kullar			R. I.	Schemer
	9.		02	Avtar Singh Kullar			C. H.	Good C.H.
	10.		02	Parmjit Singh Kullar			R. I.	Schemer
	11.		02	Lal Singh Sohal			G. K.	Dependable G. K.
	12.		02	Kishan Singh Sohal			L. H.	Good L. H.
	13.		01	Gopal Singh Kullar			R. I.	Schemer
	14.		01	Ram Chand Padani			C. F.	Scorer
	15.		01	Naginder Singh Kullar			C. H.	Dependable Pivot
	16.		01	Chanan Singh
	17.		01	Balbir Singh Kullar  S/o Hazura Singh Kullar			C. F.	Scorer
	18.		01	Gurjit  Singh  Kullar			L. I.	Outstanding Forward
	19.		01	Narinder Singh Kullar			R. I.	Schemer
	20.		01	Abchal Singh Aassi			F. B.	Good F. B.
	21.		01	Inderjit Singh Kullar			C. F.	Scorer
	22.		01	Balwant Singh Kullar S/o Gurdip Singh Kullar			C. H.	Good C. H.

 

      Four respondents did not mention any name.

      In the response to the question asking respondents to name the favourite national and other outstanding players of Sansarpur who have fascinated them most.  Mohan Singh Aassi was cited by the highest number of respondents i.e. 11 ( 22% ).  Shamsher Singh Kullar, Karnail Singh Kullar, Modan Singh Sohal were mentioned by 03 ( 6% ) respondents each.  Sadhu Singh Kullar, Atma Singh Kullar, Pritam Singh Kullar, Jaswinder Singh Kullar, Avtar Singh Kullar, Parmjit Singh Kullar, Lal Singh Sohal, Kishan Singh Sohal were named by 02 ( 4% ) respondents.  The names of Gopal Singh Kullar, Ram Chand Padani, Naginder Singh Kullar, Abchal Singh Aassi, Inderjit Singh Kullar, Balwant Singh Kullar were mentioned by 01 respondent only.

      The special comments which were made by some of the respondents  in justification of their choice of the player are given below:

      While mentioning the name of other great hockey players from Sansarpur, Balbir Singh Kullar also mentioned the name of Mohan Singh Aassi and Ajit Singh Dublee, whom he himself did not see in those playing days but has heard about them from others.  He told us that Mohan Singh Aassi of Sansarpur though could not play for India due to lack of opportunities in those days and played for 5/13 Frontier Force Rifle and S.R.C. ( Meerut ) was held in high esteem by the hockey wizard Dhyan Chand was so successfully thwarted in his attempts to score by Mohan Singh Aassi in a game against 5/13 Frontier Force Rifle that after the game was over, Dhyan Chand remarked that Mohan Singh Aassi is the greatest Indian hockey player, better than himself and there is no body who can match him in mastery over the game.

      About Ajit Singh Dublee, Balbir Singh Kullar said that once playing for S.R.C., Meerut, as full back against “ Pakistan Club”, which comprised of eight players from 1952 Pakistan Olympics team at national stadium in 1952, he did not allow Pakistani forwards to attacked S.R.C. ( Meerut ) goal even once.  Pakistani were beaten 0-2 in that game.  Balbir Singh Kullar mentioned that he has such a good speed that he was affectionately called “ Dublee”, ( fast runner ) by his peers later became part of his name. He was a real tough full back in opinion of Balbir Singh Kullar ( Services ).

Among the other players from Sansarpur, Gurjit Singh Kullar mentioned Mohan Singh Aassi as the one who had great impact on him.  According to Gurjit Singh Kullar, Mohan Singh Aassi was a master dribbler and a very intelligent and a great schemer.  His passes were very accurate and well thought of.  He used to play clean hockey and foul play was completely unknown to him.  He used to play according to the situation of the game as he possessed a great hockey brain. 

    Karnail Singh Kullar said that Mohan Singh Aassi had mastered the unique art of scoring a goal by taking the rebound from Goal Keeper’s pads,  was a natural player and it was unfortunate that he could not get the national Colour.

      Among the other outstanding Sansarpur players who have impressed Darshan  Singh  Sethi, he named Mohan Singh Aassi as the one who left a deep impression on him.  Darshan  Singh  Sethi says that Mohan Singh Aassi who played at inside right position was an outstanding player.  Though, he was slightly built, he possessed a good hockey brain.  He was a great schemer and has mastered the art of scoring the goal on taking a rebound from the goal keepers pads. 

      Among national players, Jaswinder Singh Kullar had great regards for his S.R.C. team mate full back Modan Singh Sohal.  Jaswinder Singh Kullar says that Modan Singh Sohal was a tall, well built man and an used to play aggressive hockey.  Modan Singh Sohal’s physical presence in Indian half used to send shivers in rival forwards.  He was a penalty corner expert.  It was unfortunate that he could not won Indian colour, but competition in those days for full back position in Indian hockey team was very tough and he missed narrowly.

      In the words of Jarnail Singh Kullar , Karnail Singh Kullar could have easily played for India but narrowly missed the chance.  He was a scorer of highest calibre.  He could cover the ground very fast due to his long strides.  He was a daring, rough and tough centre forward and majority of opponent defenders were afraid of him, though generally in hockey, forwards fear from defenders.

      According to Rajinder Singh Kullar, Shamsher Singh Kullar was a great full back.  He had a great reach, possessed very strong hit, and India is yet to produce a full back of his quality.  His untimely death at a very young age, deprived India of services of a quality full back.

      Parkash Singh Kullar says that Shamsher Singh Kullar was expert in penalty corner and possessed a great hit.  His hit was so strong that one can hear a sizzling sound.  He used to hit the ball so hard during his practice sessions that ball did not only reach the wall of house near old Banyan tree but could cross several rows of the houses built nearby.

      According to Mohinder Singh Padani, My elder brother Ram Chand Padani was a centre forward of great ability.  His dribbling and understanding of the game was of highest order.  He was popularly called Dhyan Chand II as he not only resembled the great ace in appearance but also possessed matching game skills.  He represented four Indian teams in nationals, which are: Services, N.W.F.P., Madras, Rajasthan.  He could surely have played for India but some how narrowly missed the chance.  He toured Afghanistan with Rajasthan hockey team.

      Among national players Lal Singh Sohal specially mentioned the name of Punjab left half Kishan Singh Sohal.  Lal Singh Sohal feels that Kishan Singh Sohal was one of those unfortunate ones who narrowly missed India Colour.  According to him Kishan Singh Sohal was very accurate with his passes and was master of positional play.  His recovery was also of high calibre.      

Filed under: Factors