Gurbux Singh (far left) in action against Australia at Mexico 1968 Olympic Games. Photo Morley Pecker

Gurbux Singh

 
 

Gurbux Singh

 

 Date and place of Birth 11.02.1935 in Peshawar (now Pakistan)
 University Agra University
 Club Calcutta Customs
 Playing position Right back / Left half
 First international 05.06.1961 v New Zealand in Auckland
 Last international 26.10.1968 v West Germany at Mexico Olympics
 Olympic Games (Player) Tokyo 1964; Mexico 1968 (Joint-capt)
 Olympic Games (Coach) Montreal 1976
 FIH international Umpire 1981
 Hockey idol K D Singh (Babu); Dhyan Chand (India)

 
 
 
 

Olympic Games

 Games

 Date

 Phase

 Match

 Goals

 Tokyo 1964 11.10.1964 Group B India  2 - Belgium 0

 0

 Tokyo 1964 12.10.1964 Group B India  1 - Germany 1

 0

 Tokyo 1964 14.10.1964 Group B India  1 - Spain 1

 0

 Tokyo 1964 15.10.1964 Group B India  6 - Hong Kong 0

 0

 Tokyo 1964 17.10.1964 Group B India  3 - Malaysia 1

 0

 Tokyo 1964 18.10.1964 Group B India  3 - Canada 0

 0

 Tokyo 1964 19.10.1964 Group B India  2 - Netherlands 1

 0

 Tokyo 1964 21.10.1964 Semi-Final India  3 - Australia 1

 0

 Tokyo 1964 23.10.1964 Final India  1 - Pakistan 0

 0

 Mexico 1968 13.10.1968 Group A India  1 - New Zealand 2

 0

 Mexico 1968 14.10.1968 Group A India  2 - West Germany 1

 0

 Mexico 1968 15.10.1968 Group A India  8 - Mexico 0

 0

 Mexico 1968 17.10.1968 Group A India  1 - Spain 0

 0

 Mexico 1968 18.10.1968 Group A India  2 - Belgium 1

 0

 Mexico 1968 20.10.1968 Group A India  5 - Japan 0

 0

 Mexico 1968 21.10.1968 Group A India  1 - East Germany 0

 0

 Mexico 1968 24.10.1968 Semi-Final India  1 - Australia 2

 0

 Mexico 1968 26.10.1968 Class 3 - 4 India  2 - West Germany 1

 0


 
 
 
 

Gurbux Singh was born on 11 February 1935 in Peshawar (now in Pakistan) and grew up in Rawalpindi. His father, Kartar Singh, was a Commissioned Officer in the Indian Hospital Corps (now Army Medical Corps) and played hockey for his Corps team in Rawalpindi.

His early education was at Denny's High School in Rawalpindi. His main sport at the time was badminton but when he moved to Hari Chand School in Lucknow, he took up hockey.

After the partition, the family first moved over to Lucknow, then to Mhow and finally to Meerut. He graduated from Punjab University before heading to Calcutta in 1956.

Gurbux started hockey at the age of 16. He represented Agra University in 1954 - 55 and a year later won the Obaidullah Gold Cup Hockey Championship.

He joined the East Bengal Club in 1957 and helped them win the Beighton Cup for the first time. Gurbux joined Calcutta Customs in 1957 and played for Customs from 1958 to 1965.

He played for the Mohun Bagan Club from 1968 to 1980.

He represented Bengal in the Rangaswamy Cup from 1957 to 1972, captaining the team on many occasions and won the Aga Khan Cup in 1961.

Gurbux made his international debut on 5 June 1961 when he was selected to play against New Zealand during the tour of New Zealand and Australia that year.

He was selected for the International Hockey Tournament in Ahmedabad in 1962 which India won.

After a year's gap, he was included in the team that participated in the 1963 International Hockey Tournament at Lyons in France.

He was a member of the Gold medal winning team at Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games and two years later the Gold Medal team at Bangkok 1966 Asian Games.

He was awarded the Indian National Award ‘Arjuna Puraskar' in 1967.

He led India on a tour to Hamburg Festival, Germany and Japan in 1966, Sri Lanka in 1967 and the Pre-Olympic tournament in London in 1967.

He was the Joint Captain, along with Prithipal Singh, at Mexico 1968 Olympics Games where India won the Bronze medal. Gurbux and India's Harbinder Singh had the distinction of being named in the World X1.

After retiring from playing international hockey in 1968, Gurbux took to coaching and umpiring.

He was awarded his International Hockey Federation Umpiring badge in 1981 and umpired at the Delhi 1982 Asian Games.

He was appointed as the French National Coach in 1974-75 and the following year he was appointed the Indian National Coach for the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games.

He served three terms as a national selector (1973- 78; 1980 - 85 and 2003 - 08)

He was the manager of the Indian team to the 1973 World Cup and the 1983 Champions Trophy.

In addition to these hockey commitments he was a TV/Radio commentator and wrote newspaper reports.

The Government of West Bengal conferred the Banga Bibhushan Award to him in 2013.

He published his autobiography, "My Golden Days" in July 2017.

He still resides in Kolkata (Calcutta), India.