Joginder: ‘Sensitive and committed’

Calcutta: Veteran hockey player and Olympic gold medal winner, Joginder Singh died in the BNR hospital early Wednesday morning. He was 62 and is survived by his wife and son.

Joginder was suffering from kidney failure and was on dialysis for the past few years.

Apart from being a key member of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold-medal winning squad, Joginder was also a part of India’s silver-winning show in 1960 Olympics in Rome and the Jakarta Asian Games in 1962.

Joginder, a right winger, came to Bengal after the Rome Olympics, following a short stint with Delhi Khalsa Blues and Aligarh University. He played for East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, BNR and Howrah Union. His association with BNR was for more than two decades and he served the club in different capacities.

Gurbux Singh, former Indian captain and a long-time associate recalled his friend as “a good human being, nice and humble man”.

“He was not a speedy winger. But he was sensitive, always committed to his job. In fact, he’s one of those rare hockey players whom I like to call ‘world class’”, Gurbux told The Telegraph.

“I have had a long association with him. We played together for Bengal as well as India. We went to win the Lyon meet (in 1963) where he played a significant part. He also contributed handsomely to India’s victory at an international tournament in Hamburg (in 1966) under my captaincy,” Gurbux informed.

“Even ten to 15 days back, he went to Delhi for treatment. He came back here but did not show any improvement. His was a lost case,” Gurbux lamented.

Joginder’s body was brought to the BNR tent and later to the Bengal Hockey Association office, where Gurbux, former police commissioner Dinesh Bajpai and other hockey players and officials paid tribute to him.

BHA will also hold a condolence meeting of the player, the date, however, yet to be finalised.