Balbir Singh Kullar
 Picture of Retired D.I.G. Balbir Singh Kullar taken in 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | India | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 8 August 1942[1] Sansarpur, Punjab Province, British India (present-day Sansarpur, Punjab, India) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 28 February 2020 (age 77)[2] Sansarpur, Punjab, India | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | DAV College, Jalandhar | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employer | Punjab Police (retired as DIG in 2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Field hockey | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Men's team | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | India (International) Railways (National) Punjab State (National) Punjab Police (National) All India Police (National) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on 9 June 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sardar Balbir Singh Kullar (8 August 1942 – 28 February 2020) was an Indian field hockey player and a Punjab Police officer. Alternative spellings of his last name include Khullar.
Balbir Singh was born in the Sansarpur village of the Jalandhar district. He was the captain of the All India Schools during 1957–1960, and also played as part of the Combined University Team. At the national-level, he represented the hockey teams of Punjab State, Indian Railways and Punjab Police. For a brief time, he also played for the little-known hockey team of Mohun Bagan. Balbir Singh joined the Punjab Armed Police in 1962, and became an Assistant Sub-Inspector of the Punjab Police in 1963.
As part of the Indian national men's hockey team, he played his first international game in 1963 at Lyons in France. He gained reputation as an inside forward in the Indian team, and toured Belgium, East Africa, East Germany, England, the Netherlands, Italy, Kenya, New Zealand and West Germany. He was a member of the Indian team that won the Olympic Gold in 1964 (Tokyo), Asian Games Gold in 1966 (Bangkok) and the Olympic Bronze in 1968 (Mexico).
During 1968–1975, Balbir Singh was a part of the All India Police team, and also served as its captain for some time. He became the Deputy Superintendent of Police in 1981, became an Indian Police Service officer in 1987. He retired as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in February 2001.[4]
He died at his home in Sansarpur at the age of 77.
Awards
[edit]- Padma Shri (2009)[5]
- Arjuna Award (1999)[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Balbir Singh". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Former India Hockey Player Balbir Singh Kullar Dies At 77". Ndtvsports.com.
- ^ "Olympic Bronze Medalist Balbir Singh Kullar Passes Away". YouTube.
- ^ Profile of Balbir Singh Khullar at Hockey India Archived 2012-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Padma awards for Abhinav, Dhoni". indianexpress.com. 26 January 2009.
- ^ Arjuna, Dronacharya Awards presented. The Hindu, 30 August 2000.
External links
[edit]- Balbir Singh Kullar at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- Balbir Singh Kullar at Olympedia
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- 1942 births
- 2020 deaths
- Olympic gold medalists for India
- Olympic field hockey players for India
- Olympic medalists in field hockey
- Field hockey players at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Field hockey players at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Indian male field hockey players
- Indian police officers
- Recipients of the Arjuna Award
- Recipients of the Padma Shri in sports
- People from Jalandhar district
- Asian Games medalists in field hockey
- Field hockey players at the 1966 Asian Games
- Field hockey players from Jalandhar
- Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics
- Asian Games gold medalists for India
- Olympic bronze medalists for India
- Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games