Who Is Pargat Singh? From Hockey Captain To New Punjab Congress Chief

The Congress on Friday appointed former India hockey captain and Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh as the new president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, hours after Amarinder Singh Raja Warring resigned from the post. Warring had said AICC Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot wanted him to step down, while describing his resignation as voluntary.

The 62-year-old Pargat Singh is a former Punjab Police officer and a three-time MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment. He has represented the constituency since 2012 and served as a Cabinet minister in the Charanjit Singh Channi government from September 2021 to March 2022. He is currently an AICC secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh's appointment comes months ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, at a time when the state Congress has seen differences among its senior leaders.

Pargat Singh's Hockey Career

Born in Mithapur in Jalandhar, a village with a strong hockey tradition, Pargat Singh played as a defender and went on to captain the Indian hockey team. He represented India at three Olympic Games — Seoul in 1988, Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996 — captaining the side at the latter two.

He was also India's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Singh was part of the Indian team that won bronze at the 1986 Asian Games and silver at the 1990 Asian Games. He received the Arjuna Award in 1989 and the Padma Shri in 1998.

After retiring from international hockey, Singh remained involved with the sport as a coach and administrator. He worked with the Indian men's national team and held administrative positions in Punjab hockey, including serving as general secretary of Hockey Punjab.

From Punjab Police To Politics

Before entering electoral politics, Singh served in the Punjab Police and rose to the rank of Superintendent of Police. He entered the Punjab Assembly in 2012 after winning Jalandhar Cantonment on a Shiromani Akali Dal ticket, defeating Congress candidate Jagbir Singh Brar.

In 2016, Singh left the SAD after being suspended by the party. He subsequently joined the Awaaz-e-Punjab front associated with Navjot Singh Sidhu and the Bains brothers before moving to the Congress.

Singh won Jalandhar Cantonment again on a Congress ticket in the 2017 Assembly election and retained the seat in 2022, making him a three-time MLA from the constituency. In 2022, he defeated AAP candidate and former hockey international Surinder Singh Sodhi by around 5,800 votes.

During Charanjit Singh Channi's tenure as Punjab chief minister, Singh served as a Cabinet minister from September 26, 2021, to March 11, 2022. His portfolios included School Education, Higher Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and NRI Affairs.

Singh's elevation to the state Congress presidency now marks a transition from leading the Indian hockey team to taking charge of the party's Punjab organisation ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.