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Hockey Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal Dies at 84 in Chandigarh

Former India hockey Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal died of a heart attack in Chandigarh at age 84. He was a member of the Indian team that won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. After retiring from Western Railways, he served as Honorary Secretary of the Mumbai Hockey Association and oversaw the renovation of Mahindra Stadium. He was the brother of fellow Olympian Balbir Singh.

Key Points: Hockey Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal Passes Away at 84

  • Olympic bronze medalist in 1968 Mexico City Games
  • Served as Honorary Secretary of Mumbai Hockey Association
  • Retired as Sports Officer from Western Railways
  • Oversaw renovation of Mahindra Stadium
  • Brother of fellow Olympian Balbir Singh
2 min read

Hockey Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal passes in Chandigarh, aged 84

Former India hockey player and Olympic bronze medalist Gurbax Singh Grewal died of a heart attack in Chandigarh at age 84. He was a key figure in Mumbai hockey.

"He was a key figure in Mumbai hockey administration. - Mumbai Hockey Association"

Mumbai, April 24

Former India international and Mumbai Hockey Association secretary Gurbax Singh Grewal, who was a member of the national team that won a bronze medal in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, died of a heart attack in Chandigarh on Friday evening. He was 84.

Gurbax Singh, brother of Olympian Balbir Singh, retired as Sports Officer with the Western Railways in Mumbai and was elected as Honorary Secretary of The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd as part of a team that included former India captain and coach Joaquim Carvalho.

Born on April 1, 1942, in Lyallpur, Punjab Province of British India, near present-day Faisalabad in Pakistan, Gurbax came to Mumbai in his 20s to play hockey for the Western Railways in Mumbai. He, along with his brother Balbir Singh, was part of the Indian team that won a bronze medal in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.

A speedy forward, Gurbax Singh, after playing for Western Railways at the local level and Indian Railways at the national level, coached the various Mumbai teams for many years. He was also associated with the Indian women's hockey team for some time.

After retiring from Western Railways as Sports Officer, Gurbax contested elections for the Mumbai Hockey Association and was elected Honorary Secretary in 2010. The renovation of the MHA's Mahindra Stadium happened during his tenure after the MHA and MCA reached an agreement on the transfer of land to the cricket association to install the floodlights for the Wankhede Stadium ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

V
Vikram M
Sad news indeed. India's golden generation of hockey gave us so many heroes. His brother Balbir Singh was already an icon, and Gurbax Singh ji also carved his own path. The bronze in 1968 was hard-fought, and he was a key part of that team. His work with MHA and developing Mumbai hockey will be his lasting legacy.
P
Priya S
So sad to hear about Gurbax Singh ji's passing. His story of coming to Mumbai as a young man from Punjab and making it big in hockey shows the spirit of our nation. And the fact that he also worked with the women's hockey team is commendable. We need more administrators like him who actually played the game at the highest level. 🏑🕊️
J
James A
Rest in peace, Gurbax Singh Grewal. It's fascinating to read about his role in the Mahindra Stadium renovation and the 2010 World Cup floodlight deal. That was a smart piece of negotiation by MHA. A man who kept Indian hockey alive in Mumbai for decades. My condolences to his family and the entire hockey fraternity.
A
Ananya R
What a remarkable life! From being an Olympian to coaching Mumbai teams and serving as MHA secretary, he gave over 50 years to hockey. I wish the article had mentioned more about his coaching philosophy or his time with the women's team. But even this brief tribute shows how much he meant to Indian sports. A true asset lost. 😢
R
Rohit P
Another colossus of Indian hockey passes away. Gurbax Singh Grewal's story is also a Mumbai story - how the city welcomed talent from across the country and gave them a

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