Diary | When We Were World Beaters: Former India Hockey Star M.M. Somaya’s Essay

Olympics and Indian hockey are synonymous with each other. The eight gold medals are a testament of India’s dominance in pre- and post-Independence years. Hockey is a global sport and India is respected across the world for the rich legacy it built ever since it first took part in the Olympics in 1928 at Amsterdam.

The Indian hockey gharana has revolved around heroes and invariably they have been great goal scorers like the legendary Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh (Senior), Leslie Claudius, Randhir Singh Gentle, Ranganathan Francis and the great K.D. Singh Babu. Their wizardry with the stick left oppositions flummoxed; the British appreciated the Indians’ ability with grace.