Roop Singh

Roop Singh Bais (8 September 1908 – 16 December 1977) was an Indian hockey player. He was part of the celebrated Indian field hockey team which won gold medals for India at 1932 and 1936 Olympic Games. He was the younger brother of Dhyan Chand, the most celebrated player in Indian hockey and widely regarded as the greatest hockey player ever.[1] Captain Roop Singh himself is considered as one of the greatest hockey players of all times.

Roop Singh
Personal information
Born (1908-09-08)8 September 1908
Jabalpur, United Provinces, British India
Died 16 December 1977(1977-12-16) (aged 69)
Gwalior
Height 6 ft (183 cm)
Playing position Left-in
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
India
Medal record
Men’s Field Hockey
Representing  India
Olympic Games
1932 Los Angeles Team
1936 Berlin Team

Career

His 3 goals against Japan and 10 goals against USA, in the Los Angeles Summer Olympics 1932, are remembered as his best in his sports career. He was in the armed forces.

Personal life

Capt. Roop Singh was the younger brother of Dhyan Chand (Singh), the most celebrated player in Indian hockey and widely regarded as the greatest hockey player ever. Roop Singh himself is considered as one of the greatest hockey players of all times. Playing for India, he won the gold medal in the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Games.

Roop Singh's family was based in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. His son, Bhagat Singh played hockey for India and his Grand Son Uday Singh also play Hockey. His father Subedar Sameshwar Dutt Singh was in army.

Roop Singh was the best inside-left (Left-in Position) India has ever produced. His stick work along with powerful hit gave the Indian team much advantage in winning the matches as was his penalty shots. His power, anticipation and stick work were all superb. He was a complete hockey player. There were times when Dhyan Chand (Singh) used to warn him to be careful with his hit otherwise someone could get injured. Dhyan Chand (Singh), a doyen of Indian hockey, once said about Roop Singh that he was the only inside-left he had seen scoring goals from the crosses sent by the outside-left. Like his hits, Roop Singh's penalty corner shots too were powerful.

Roop Singh lived in style and believed in dressing well. In fact, just before the team was to leave for the 1932 (Los Angeles) Olympics, he refused to go because he didn't have the right clothes for the occasion. Dhyan Chand (Singh), had to look around for some new clothes before Roop Singh finally agreed to go. He was also one of those few players who never argued with the umpire on any umpiring decision.

A great player, he went through difficult times, though he was in the armed forces of the Maharaja Scindia.

Recognition

The Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, named after Singh, was originally a hockey stadium before it was converted into a cricket venue in 1988.[2] A street in Munich was named after him following his impressive performance at the 1936 Olympics.[3] He was also among the only three Indian players, the others being Dhyan Chand and Leslie Claudius to have the tube stations in London renamed in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics.[4]

References
  1. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/105366/Dhyan-Chand
  2. "Indian Hockey Association". Gwalior Plus. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  3. http://www.bharatiyahockey.org/granthalaya/legend/encounters/page2.htm
  4. Rath, Satya Siddharth (6 April 2012). "Hockey legends make London tube station list". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
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