Indian Hockey & Sansarpur Hockey

Olympians From Sansarpur

Posted on December 3rd, 2009 by admin

Olympians

Sl.No Name Year Country

1. Gurmit Singh Kullar 1932 India

2. Udham Singh Kullar 1952,56,60,64 -do-

3. Gurdev Singh Kullar 1956 -do-

4. Hardev Singh Kullar 1956,60,64 Kenya

5. Darshan Singh Kullar 1964 India

6. Balbir Singh Kullar (Punjab) 1964 -do-

7. Jagjit Singh Kullar 1964,68 -do-

8. Balbir Singh Kullar (Services) 1968 -do-

9. Tarsem Singh Kullar 1968 -do-

10. Ajitpal Singh Kullar 1968,72,76 -do-

11. Jagjit Singh Kullar 1968,72 Kenya

12. Harvinder Singh Kullar 1984 -do-

As shown in table 1 , there are 12 players from Sansarpur who have represented their countries in Olympics. All of them are “Kullar”, a subcast of Jat Sikhs , and were resident of the same place . Out of these 11 Olympians, eight represented India three represented Kenya , as they have migrated to that country from Sansarpur .

Among the 11 players who represented India in Olympics , Udham Singh played four Olympics , a world record which he holds jointly with Claudius , Ajit Pal Singh in three, Balbir Singh ( unjab) and Jagjit Singh in two and Gurmit Singh , Balbir Singh ( Services ) and Tarsem Singh in one Olympic each .

Among the three players who represented Kenya , Hardev Singh played in three Olympics, Jagjit Singh in two and Harvinder Singh in one. It may be noted that Hardev Singh Jagjit Singh were real brothers and Harvinder Singh is son of Hardev Singh.

Though Sansarpur representation in Indian Olympic team began wayback in 1932 when Gurmit Singh represented the British India, but after Independence, Udham Singh was the first Sansarpuri to represent India in 1952 Olympics. From 1952 to 76, in seven Olympics , Indian Olympic teams had representation from Sansarpur. However, Sansarpur representation in Indian Olympic team reached its peak in 64 and 68 , when respectively four and five Sansarpuris were included in the team. After 68 , no seven Sansarpuris in Indian Olympic team declined , as there was a lone representation from Sansarpur in 72 and 76 team and no one from Sansarpur has represented India after 76 . Thus , the period of 52 to 76 can be called the golden era of Sansarpur hockey with its peak in mid 60s . It is a coincidence that golden era of Indian hockey coincides so well with it. As after independence, Indian hockey team continued won medals in Olympi- cs till 72, (though India won gold in 1980 Moscow Olympics but that was more by default as top hockey playing nations did nit participate there ) and since then Indian teams have been fighting for lower places in Olympics .