CHANDIGARH:The sporting legacy of legendary hockey player Balbir Singh Senior will always be an inspiration for the coming generations especially the young players, said Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer while talking to the family of legendary players here on Friday.
The Sports minister remembered the 74th anniversary of the gold medal won by the Indian hockey team in the London Olympic Games in 1948 with family of Balbir Singh Senior at their residence in Sector 36, Chandigarh.
The Sports Minister said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is making continuous efforts to create a sports environment in Punjab and in this direction, the lives and achievements of Punjab's famous sportsmen will be highlighted to inspire the youngsters.
The minister said that the Sports Department is considering giving trophies in the names of the great players of the respective sports to the winning teams in the sports competitions. The Punjab Government will recommend to the Central Government to award the Bharat Ratna to Balbir Singh Senior.
Mr. Meet Hayer said that after the independence of the country in 1947, the hockey team won the gold medal for the first time in the London Olympic Games in 1948 and for the first time the tricolor flag was hoisted in the Olympics and hoisted in the country which had ruled India for 200 years. Balbir Singh Senior had a major contribution in this victory and even after that he completed a golden hat-trick by winning gold medals in another two Olympics.
The Sports Minister congratulated Balbir Singh Senior's daughter Sushbir Kaur and grand son Kabir Singh and shared memories associated with the legendary sportsman. He told the family that a ceremony will be held next year on the completion of 75 years of winning gold medals at the London Olympics.