Hindustan Times 30 Indian Sports Icons

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Exterior view of the National Satdium, renamed as major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi. - PTI

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EDITOR: Indraneel Das CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Anup Gupta DELHI SPORTS DESK: N Ananthanarayanan, Nilankur Das, Subhash Rajta, Anamika Nandedkar, Sharmistha Choudhury, Vinayak Pande, Tomojit Basu, Dhiraj Bayani COVER DESIGN & ILLUSTRATIONS: Malay Karmakar PHOTO RESEARCH: Sanjay Malik, Pratibha Kaushik, Tarun Kant THE BOOK IS DESIGNED BY: PealiDezine DIRECTOR: Peali Dutta Gupta DESIGNER: Shamik Kundu www.pealidezine.com

PROJECT COORDINATOR: Parveen Gupta, Rahul Fernandes MEDIA MARKETING: Ashish Dutta, V. Vaidyanathan, Sanjeev Sama PRODUCTION: Harish Nagpal, Sudhir Wadhwa, Sunil Pandita, Sandeep Bhargava, Mritunjay Kesarwani PUBLISHER: M Venkatesh Disclaimer - All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior permission of the publishers. Printed and bound at HT Media Ltd., B-2, Sector-63, Noida, District-Gautam Budh Nagar, UP.

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30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

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Foreword

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Indraneel Das Deputy Sports Editor

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

HEN OUR OFFICE FLOATED THE IDEA OF TAKING OUT A COFFEEtable book on legends in Indian sports and fielded it to our National Sports Editor (Sukhwant Basra), he looked at me and said: “Why don’t you get this thing done?”Even before I could agree, he said yes and looked at me and said: “He will do it.” Initially, I thought it would be fun to know the feats of our sportspersons, some of whom we have never watched, to know what they won and how they enthralled audience the world over. Names of the legendary Dhyan Chand, Milkha Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Viswanathan Anand… flew out like darts and landed on a sheet of paper. If I thought making a list wouldn’t be a problem, I was mistaken. Well, if anything, it’s selecting the right names that almost killed me, literally.

After the initial few, we got stuck at names like Leslie Claudius, Michael Ferreira, Shiny Wilson, Sriram Singh, and a host of cricketers including the late MAK Pataudi, Ajit Wadekar, Sourav Ganguly—all legends in their own rights. But then, we could carry only 30.

There were obvious choices, of course, but there were some who could have fitted in this coffeetable book with ease. Suddenly, it was no fun at all. If you ask around and take a consensus, things get more confusing. Why take one and leave someone out? Questions kept ringing in my ears for almost a week while we were finalising the list.

Not that the questions have stopped cropping up: I know there will be arguments both for and against the selection. But as far as we are concerned, one criteria that we stuck to was his or her contribution to the game. Was the sportsperson a trendsetter, inspiring a generation? For example, we decided to include Dingko Singh, who sparked a revolution in the trouble-torn Manipur. Shooter Jaspal Rana gave hope to hundreds of marksmen when he won gold in three Asian Games.

After the list was finalised, getting together pictures and stats were the toughest part. For some legends, arranging pictures was more difficult than putting together their timelines. But our photo library and photo department sprung into action. There were some areas where we failed, not because we didn’t try but because there were just no photographs available.

Anyway, towards the end of the challenging journey, despite some minor hiccups, we managed to pull out a book that can be savoured and relished with a cup of coffee. G

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Contents 1905

1926

KD JADHAV India’s first individual Olympics medallist Before the 1952 Helsinki Games, the grappler had to arrange money for his travel. His school’s principal mortgaged his house for R7000 to fund his trip.

He hauled a bronze—the country’s first individual medal since independence.

DHYAN CHAND The hockey wizard He is what Don Bradman is to cricket. He led India to gold in 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.

During the ’36 Berlin Games even the Germans couldn’t help but praise his wizardry. Adolf Hitler offered him German citizenship and a post of colonel in his Army.

022

028

BALBIR SINGH SR Strike Force The triple Olympic gold medallist, was one of the finest forwards India has ever produced. He was deeply inspired by Dhyan Chand’s jugglery and eventually, played in the same position.

He was part of the team that won independent India’s first gold medal (London Olympics).

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PO

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

1924

TEAM

1936

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1935 MILKHA SINGH The Flying Sikh He became the country’s first Commonwealth Games gold medallist when he won the 400m. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he finished second in all of his 400m races prior to the final, improving his time on each occasion. But in the final a glance behind cost him the race.

046

1961

1955

PK BANERJEE Football legend He became an Olympian at the age of 20, when he was part of the national team at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. He was the captain of India at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, where he scored the famous equaliser against France to hold them to a 1-1 draw.

1949

SUNIL GAVASKAR The Little Master The Little Master made his debut against the West Indies in the second Test in the 1970-71 series. that was India’s first series win over West Indies.

One of the best openers, he broke Don Bradman’s record of 29 tons and eventually scored 34.

058

1969

GEET SRIRAM SETHI Master of postman’s knock He dominated the sport in the early eighties and much of the 1990s. He has won five world professional and billiards and three amateur titles. An exponent of the postman’s knock, he also holds the world record for the maximum break (1276 points).

PRAKASH PADUKONE The touch artist He won his first major title in 1978 when he lifted the Commonwealth Games gold in Edmonton.

In 1980, he was almost unbeatable and went on to win the Danish Open, the Swedish Open and the All England Championship.

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1971

064

1959 KAPIL DEV NIKHANJ Haryana Hurricane The Haryana Hurricane is India’s first genuine medium pacer. He had a lethal outswinger and was a handy batsman down the order. His best knock was during the World Cup in 1983 where he played the captain’s knock of 175* to lead India to the semis and went on to win the Cup. He became world’s highest wicket-taker with 434 wickets.

070

JEEV MILKHA SINGH Putt master Son of legendary Milkha Singh, he joined the European circuit in 1998 and since then won four events. He is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the world.

VISWANATHAN ANAND Lightning kid The master of rapid, he has been dominating the world of chess for almost two decades.

He has won the World Chess Championship five times (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), and has been the undisputed World Champion since 2007.

076

1964 PT USHA Payyoli Express Perhaps one of the greatest athletes of India, she has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979. Fondly called the track queen, she ruled the Asian circuit with aplomb winning medals in 100, 200, 400 and 400m hurdles. After retirement, she runs an academy in Kerala.

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1970 RVS RATHORE Chilli The double trap shooter won India’s first individual silver medal in the Olympics at Athens in 2004. Known for his cool temperament, the Army marksman has inspired millions to take up Olympic disciplines.

He has given confidence to shooters to excel at the world stage.

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1973 RAHUL DRAVID The Wall The amiable cricketer from Bengaluru has been one of the most consistent in Tests. He has scored 36 Test hundreds at an average of 52.31.

Towards the end of his career, when India visited England he scored three hundreds in four Tests—a remarkable achievement.

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1972 LIMBA RAM On his mark He established himself as a champion archer in 1992 when he equalled the world record of Takayoshi Matsushita at the Beijing Asian Championship with a score of 357 out of possible 360.

He won gold in the 30m event.

He won a team gold and silver in Commonwealth Games. He is India’s national coach.

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INDIV IDU

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1973

1973

SACHIN TENDULKAR Master blaster From the time he made his Test debut as a 16-year-old, he dominated. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Tests and ODIs. He is the first to score a double century in ODIs and is considered the best cricketer in the world.

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1976

P GOPI CHAND Smash hit In 2001, he became the second Indian to win the All England Open Badminton championship— only the second Indian after Padukone to do so. For the last 10 years, he has been coaching Saina Nehwal.

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1973

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1975 KARNAM MALLESWARI Iron woman In her decadelong career, she reached the zenith during the 2000 es Sydney Games by becoming the emale first Indian female player to win an al.

Olympic medal. innin ng Apart from winning n national titless mes, nine times, o wo on she also won silver at thee sian 1998 Asian Games..

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DINGKO SINGH Punch line He sparked a revolution of sorts in boxing after winning gold at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.

In his homestate, Manipur, he became an icon who everyone wanted to emulate. For a boy raised in an orphanage, his feat is considered remarkable.

NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN Fastest Indian He won the Ford winter series in 1994. And two years later, became the first Indian and Asian to have won the Formula Asia international series. He moved to Formula Three in 1998. In 2005, he became the first Indian to race in Formula One with Jordan.

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1976

BHAICHUNG BHUTIA Sikkim sniper Perhaps he is one of the best footballers India has produced. In 1999, he became the first Indian to play for a professional club in Europe.

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1977 ANJU BOBBY GEORGE Leap of faith She made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to have won bronze in long jump in the 20 2003 edition of the World Athletics Athletic Championship Championships in Paris. During her illustrious car career spanning over a decade, she also won silver silve in World Athletic Athletics final in 2005 and gold iin 2002 Bu Busan A Asia n Asian Game Games.

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1985

MARY KOM Magnificent mom Mary was inspired

by Dingko to take up the sport. In 2001, in the first World Championships, she won a silver and in the subsequent five world championships she won gold—a feat yet to be emulated by anyone.

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1982 ABHINAV BINDRA Golden finger He made history by becoming the first Indian to have won individual gold in the men’s 10m air rifle in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 2006, he won the world championship title as well.

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1983 SUSHIL KUMAR Grappler par excellence The grappler from Najafgarh in Haryana became a hero overnight after winning a bronze at the Beijing Olympics.

In 2010, he won a gold at the World Championships in 66kg. For a player who started his career wrestling in mud, these two medals established him as one of the greatest grapplers in India.

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1990

SAINA NEHWAL Shuttle queen At 21, she is already a legend.

Though she is learning the craft in Bengaluru, she is from Haryana. She became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series when she won the Indonesian Open in 2009.

AT the Delhi Commonwealth Games, she won her first gold at a multi-discipline event.

PANKAJ ADVANI Pot of gold The young cueist from Bengaluru won his first national snooker title when he was a junior. When he was 18, he won the IBSF’s World Snooker Championships He won the world billiards title in Malta when he was 20. He won the professional billiards title as well.

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SPOR

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1985 VIJENDER SINGH Heavy mettle The pugilist from Bhiwani, if not boxing, loves to walk on the ramp.

He was one of the three medallists in the Beijing Olympics when he won bronze in the 75kg category.

He became one of the very few boxers in the world who has won medals in all continental as well as world championships.

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LEANDER PAES Tennis ace He is the most successful tennis player of the country, having played several Davis Cup matches apart from a bronze in the 1996 Atlanta Games. With 13 Grand Slam titles, he is considered to be one of the greatest doubles and mixed doubles players.

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1977

JASPAL RANA Golden eye He is considered to have inspired a generation of shooters to take up the sport. In 1994, apart from winning title in juniors, he also set a world record in standard pistol in the 46th World Shooting Championship.

He also won gold at Asian Games.

He joined poliltics after retirement.

1983

1979

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Dhyan Chand 30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

The Hockey Wizrad People had the impression that he used to put glue on his hockey stick and so he could control the ball so well. They were wrong. Major Dhyan Singh, fondly called Chand, is India’s greatest hockey player ever, scoring over 1000 goals between 1926 and 1948. He helped India win 3 Olympic gold medals, including its first in 1928.

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I ACHIEVEMENTS

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Dhyan Chand won 3 Olympic gold medals and has scored over 1,000 goals from 1926 to 1948. The Lifetime Achievement Award in sports, introduced in 2002, is named after him. The National Stadium in Delhi is named after him. After watching him play Bradman said: “He scores goals like runs in cricket.”

US defenders in for a torrid time at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Dhyan Chand has the ball.

- Courtesy Dhyan Chand Family

NDIAN HOCKEY LEGEND DHYAN CHAND SINGH WAS BORN on August 29, 1905 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. His father Sameshwar Dutt Singh, a subedar in the Indian Army, was a hockey player, as was his younger brother Roop Singh. Dhyan Chand managed to study only up to the sixth standard due to his family shifting constantly before settling down in Jhansi.

A wrestling enthusiast, young Dhyan Chand didn’t display much of an athletic nous early on. At 14, he attended a hockey match with his father where one team was losing by a two-goal margin. He requested to be allowed to play on the losing side and, when allowed to do so, young Dhyan knocked four past the team leading at that point. His skills impressed an Army Officer enough to get him an offer to join the army. It was only after he signed up as a sepoy for the Punjab Regiment at 16 that he began to play hockey seriously.

Audience left spellbound ‘The Wizard’ performed with aplomb at the first Inter-Provincial (National) hockey tournament in 1925, which led to him being selected for the Indian hcokey team. In 1926, he was part of the contingent that toured New Zealand and netted 10 goals in a 20-goal whitewash at Dannkerke. Of the 21 matches on the tour, the team

Dhyan Chand peeps out of the window of the team train during the 1948 London Olympics.

Pankaj Gupta is seen smoking a pipe.

Dhyan Chand was born on August 29, 1905.

DOWN THE YEARS

025

1921 1922 1928

India won their first Olympic gold in Amsterdam and Chand was the top scorer with 14 goals in 5 matches.

1932

dia At the Los Angeles Games, India played the USA last and won me.

24-1, a world record at that time.

Chand scored 8.

1932

Chand, along with his brother Roop, scored 25 out of the 35 d goals scored by India. This led ckey twins’. to them being dubbed the ‘hockey

1936

At Berlin Olympics India beat Germany 8-1 in the final. Chand scored thrice. The day was August 15 and the players saluted a Congress inside the dressing room.

1947

Asian Sports Association of East Africa requested IHF for a team led by Chand. He scored 61 goals in 22 matches.

He retired as a Major. He was honored with the Padma Bhushan (3rd highest civilian honour).

1979

Between 1922 & 1926, he exclusively played army tournaments and regimental games. He was selected for the Indian Army team to tour New Zealand.

He died on December 3, 1979 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.

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In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, India crushed all opposition before meeting Germany in the final

Chand joined the Indian Army.

Since he waited for the moon to come out so that he could practice after duty, he was called Chand.

1956

Dhyan Chand was an Indian hockey player who is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time.

026

TRIVIA After seeing his prolific play and stickwork during the 1936 Berlin Olympics matches, Adolf Hitler offered Dhyan Chand, a serving Major in the British Indian Army, German citizenship and also offered to promote him to the rank of a Colonel (which Dhyan Chand refused).

won 18, drew two and lost just one and of the 192 goals scored, it was Dhyan Chand who struck more than a hundred times.

In his first major international tournament, the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, his two goals of the three in the final against the hosts Holland helped India win gold. At the Los Angeles Games four years later, it was the same story, the team led by Lal Shah Bukhari winning the gold medal again. Dhyan Chand hammered eight goals past a hapless United States team that lost 1-24 to the Indians while managing an overall tally of 12 goals in the competition.

In 1935, Dhyan Chand met cricket legend Don Bradman while playing a match in Adelaide and Sir Don commented after watching him play, “He scores goals like runs in cricket.”

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Wowing Hitler In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, India crushed all opposition—Hungary (4-0), USA (7-0), Japan (9-0) and France (10-0)—before meeting thenNazi Germany in the final. After having led 1-0 at the interval, Dhyan Chand removed his shoes on a rain-soaked ground and helped India win 8-1, thus earning a third consecutive Olympic gold medal. Even German dictator Adolf Hitler supposedly offered Dhyan Chand a higher post in the German Army than the one he was holding in the British Indian Army (Major), but the Indian declined the offer. Overall, Dhyan Chand scored 33 goals in 12 matches in the Olympics.

After Berlin, Chand rejoined his regiment in the army and was largely active playing just army tournaments, besides participating in the 1937 Beighton Cup in Kolkata. He was promoted to Lieutenant soon after and went on to captain a side that toured East Africa in

Left: Dhyan Chand with the India team of 1928.

Above: The victorious team of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Dhyan Chand is on the right.

Below: Dhyan Chand (3rd on the back row) with the Indian Army team that went to New Zealand in 1926.

- Courtesy Dhyan Chand Family

027

1947. Even though he was in his 40s, Dhyan Chand managed to score 61 goals in just 22 matches.

Ultimately ignored

- Getty Images

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Dhyan Chand played for India till the ripe sporting age of 42 and eventually called it quits in 1948. Sadly, Dhyan Chand’s illustrious story ends quite like the tales of numerous other sporting luminaries of the age—penniless and ignored by the country. He was diagnosed with liver cancer and after being sent to a general ward at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, died on December 3, 1979, aged 74. He was earning a mere `400 as pension.

The Indian government celebrates Dhyan Chand’s birthday as National Sports Day while the Indian Postal Service has issued a postage stamp in his memory. The National Stadium at New Delhi was named after him and he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1956. G

A tricky situation in front of the German goal, during the hockey final against India at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

India won 8-1.

040

Milkha Singh 30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

The flying sikh India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal-winner in track and field and the first from the country to better an Olympics mark, Milkha Singh, known as the Flying Sikh, has inspired generations. He has also inspired Omparkash Mehra to do a film about the fire Milkha had.

041

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042 42

H

E WON 77 RACES OUT OF THE 80 THAT HE COMPETED in so it’s a little ironic that Milkha Singh, perhaps postindependent India’s finest athlete, has no medals to show for it. However, for a man whose childhood was as tragic as his later life inspiring, ‘The Flying Sikh’ will remain one of the country’s prized gems in the sporting sphere.

Born on October 8, 1935, in Lyallpur (Pakistan), Milkha suffered the brunt of Partition violence during which he lost his parents and numerous relatives. Hiding behind corpses in a train, he eventually reached India. After failing to get into the Army thrice, his brother Malkhan Singh helped him get a spot in the electrical-mechanical engineering branch in 1952. He got his first taste of competitive athletics a fortnight later.

ACHIEVEMENTS

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Milkha Singh won double gold medal in the 200m and 400m at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo and then won another in the 1962 Asiad in Jakarta. He was the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in track and field.

Training to be champion Under the mentorship of Havaldar Grudev Singh, Milkha undertook a rigorous daily five-hour training schedule. At the Services Athletic Meet in 1955, he finished second in the 200m and 400m events. He won both disciplines at the National Games held in Patiala a year later and broke the national records in both at the same competition in 1958 when it was held at Cuttack.

International outings Despite having taken part in the 1956 Summer Olympics at Melbourne where he didn’t fare too well, Milkha learnt much that would help him over the next few years that would prove to be his best period. At the Tokyo Asian Games in 1958, he won gold in both the 200m and 400m events, having clocked 21.6 seconds and 47 seconds respectively. His 400m timing improved to 46.16 seconds at the Commomwealth Games held in Cardiff, Wales, that year and he clinched gold there, too. He was awarded the Helms Trophy for being the best athlete in 1959.

Roman heart-break In the first heat of the 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics, he finished 2nd having clocked 47.6 seconds. He finished second again in the second heat with an improved timing of

Below: Milkha Singh at the launch of the 2010 CWG Queen’s baton relay outside the Buckingham Palace in October 2009.

- Shaun Curry/Getty Images

Left: Milkha on the track at the Olympic Games in Rome, in September, 1960.

Milkha Singh was born on October 8, 1935.

- George Silk/Getty Images

Milkha during the semifinals of the 400m at the Rome Olympics.

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043

Represented India in the 1960 Rome Olympics and the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo

1952 1956

e He sweated it out everyday. He came into the limelight during the National Games at Patiala in 1956.

1956

Represented India in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where his inexperience showed.

1958

Thereafter, he won gold medals in both the 200m and 400m events at the 1958 Asian Games, clocking 21.6 seconds and 47 seconds respectively.

He progressed to win a gold medal in the 400m competition at the 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games, with a time of 46.16 seconds.

1960

He was felicitated with the Padma Shri in 1959.

At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he finished second in h final. l all of his 400m races prior to the improving his time on each occasion.

In the final event he set off strongly to the fore but was overhauled by the field and finished in fourth place, this being a decision that required a photo-finish.

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Pakistan President Ayub Khan named him ‘The Flying Sikh’ in 1962 when he beat Abdul Khaliq

He was the first gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games from India. India had to wait till 2010 for Krishna Punia to win another athletics gold.

1960

1959

1958

Milkha Singh tried to enrol in the army, but was rejected thrice. He was finally able to join in the army’s electrical mechanical engineering branch.

1958

- Paul Popper/Getty Images

044

Jeev flanked by his father Milkha and mother Nirmal poses with the Arjuna Award in 1999.

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- Arvind Yadav/HT

TRIVIA In the final in Rome, leading at 250m, Milkha miscalculated and slowed down a little. It was a mistake of epic proportions and Ottis Davis, Karl Kaufman and Malcolm Spence managed to edge him to the podium with the race ending in a photo-finish.

46.5 seconds. He even finished 2nd in the semifinal with a 45.9. In the final, leading at 250m, Milkha miscalculated his speed and slowed down a little. It was a mistake of epic proportions and Ottis Davis, Karl Kaufman and Malcolm Spence managed to edge him to the podium with the race ending in a photo-finish. Registering 45.6 seconds, Milkha had broken an Olympic record but ended up without a medal.

Standing tall Milkha earned the moniker ‘The Flying Sikh’ in 1962 when he beat Pakistan’s leading athlete of the age, Abdul Khaliq, which led President Ayub Khan to christen him with the title.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1958 and then the Arjuna Award.

As he stands tall and leads a disciplined life even today, his son Jeev is carrying forward the sporting legacy by wielding the golf club. G

Milkha and army chief Gen. VK Singh flag off a rally for cancer awareness in New Delhi.

- Raj K Raj/HT

Top: Milkha (R) runs with Canadian High Commissioner Peter Southerland in the Terry Fox Run in New Delhi.

- Arvind Yadav/HT

045

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Sachin Tendulkar 30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

Master blaster

His name is etched on tons of records — from the time he made his debut in Tests as a 16-year-old to his 100 hundreds. He is the leading run-scorer and centurymaker in Tests and one-dayers and the first to score a double century in ODIs. He is considered the best in the world.

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114 14

A

PRIL 24 COULD VERY WELL HAVE BECOME INDIA’S national sports day if it already didn’t have one on August 29 – the birthday of hockey legend Dhyan Chand. For the legions of sports lovers in India,, though, g , that date in April p is equally q y venerable, e, for it was when, in 1973, the genius named Sachin Tendulkar was born rn to a middleclass couple, Ramesh Tendulkar and Rajni Tendulkar, in n Mumbai.

Quick start art

ACHIEVEMENTS

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

He is the highest run-getter in both Tests and one-dayers. He is the first to score a double hundred in one-dayers and the only cricketer to have 100 international centuries to his name.

In April 2012, Tendulkar accepted the Rajya Sabha nomination proposed by the President.

It had become apparent early on that he was born to play cricket.

Starting his formall training at the Sharadashram Vidyamandir, run

by Ramakant Achrekar, rekar, he soon had people in the cricketing circles whispering about him in hushed tones. A 664-run partnership with Vinod Kambli in an inter-school match in 1988 added to his mystique. Soon thereafter, as a 15-yearold, he celebrated his Ranji Trophy debut for Mumbai with a hundred, followed d by tons in his first Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy outings. ngs. The stupendous run on the domestic turf showed that, though hough just 15, he was ready to move on to the international stage, tage, and the call didn’t take long to come.

International onal arrival Everyone was stunned when India picked a 16-year-old for a tour as tough as Pakistan. While the tour turned out to be a disaster d saste for the team, am, Tendulkar showed he was here to stay.

Two events in Tw n particular underlined his grit and talent -- hee stood up to the fiery pace of Waqar Younis and nd Wasim Akram despite suffering several body ody blows, and smashed 27 runs off wily leg-spinner eg-spinner Abdul Qadir’s over. What, however, convinced everyone that he would end up as one of the best the game had ever seen was his scintillating century against the pace-heavy heavy Australia on a quick and bouncy Perth wicket three years rs later in 1992. Such was the quality of the knock that it forced rced out of John Woodcock, the famous London Times correspondent, ndent, something that was, until then, tantamount to sacrilege: “Gentlemen, he’s the best batsman I have seen in my life. And unlike nlike most of you, I have seen Bradman.” A few years

Right: Hits one over the top during at IPL match at Wankhede.

- Sattish Bate/HT

Below: Sachin with the World Cup trophy in Mumbai.

- Philip Brown/Reuters

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was born on April 24, 1973.

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2008

Tendulkar was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, in 2008.

2010

1988 1990 1994

He scored his first ODI century on September 9, 1994 against Australia in Colombo. It had taken him 79 ODIs to get to the ODI landmark.

In the 2nd ODI of the series against inst South Africa, Tendulkar scored 200 nott out to become the world’s first person to score a double century in ODIs. DIs.

With 482 runs including two centuries, he was India’s leading scorer in a muchawaited World Cup win.

Tendulkar created another record when he became the first to score 15,000 runs in Tests, during the first Test against the West Indies at the Kotla.

Tendulkar scored his much awaited 100th international hundred at Mirpur against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup.

30 INDIAN SPORTS O R TS OR T S IIC ICONS C ON ONS

On the tour to England in 1990, he was the second youngest to score a Test century, his first, as he made 119* at Old Trafford.

2011

He was the only player to score a century in all three of his Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup debuts and was taken to the Pakistan series.

2011

As a child prodigy, his season in 1988 was extraordinary.

He scored a century in every innings he played.

1988

Sachin Tendulkar is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

2012

His boyish looks, immaculate strokeplay and how he tore apart the best of attacks made him the most popular batsman the world over

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TRIVIA

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

In commemorating Tendulkar’s feat of equalling Don Bradman’s 29 centuries in Tests, Ferrari invited him to its paddock in Silverstone on the eve of the British GP in 2002 to receive a Ferrari 360 Modena from Michael Schumacher. India’s then finance minister Jaswant Singh told Tendulkar that the government will waive customs duty imposed on the car as a measure to applaud his feat.

later, Don Bradman paid him the ultimate compliment when he said, “He reminds me of myself.” That, apart from the runs and the manner he got them in, put him up there with the best of the best.

Rise and rise The 1990s saw him at his imperious best. For much of the decade, the Indian team was all about Sachin Tendulkar. His boyish looks, immaculate and pleasing strokeplay and how he tore apart the best of the attacks made him the most popular batsman the world over. While the Indian fans would often switch off their television sets once he was dismissed, those backing the opposite side would pray for a Tendulkar century in their team’s victory. The world witnessed the full range of his destructive powers when he was promoted to the top of the order in 1994. Amongst the many famous knocks at the top, his exploits in the Cup, where he was the highest run-getter, twin hundreds 1996 World Cu Australia in Sharjah, his showings in the 2003 World Cup, and against Austr post 2007 World Cup, including a double hundred, are a few knocks p remarkable. In Tests, he continued to be as majestic as ever, the most rema barring a blip in the middle of the last decade.

Injuries, slide & controversies Inju The amount of cricket he had been playing was going to take tak a toll on his body sooner or later. The first major problem

Left: Sachin’s victory lap after winning the World Cup was on the shoulders of his teammates.

- Manoj Patil/HT

Celebrates his 35th Test century in New Delhi in December, 2005.

- Kamal Kishore/REUTERS

117

Clockwise: In Hyderabad with daughter Sarah, wife Anjali and son Arjun.

- Sattish Bate/HT

With the World Cup and ardent fan Sudhir Gautam at Wankhede.

- Michael Steele/Getty

With six-year-old cancer patient Ganesh Shankar during the 2002 England series, at Wankhede.

- Sebastian d’Souza/AFP

Second wind It was tough to imagine him coming back. But the little master staged one of the most remarkable comebacks, brushing aside injuries, s, concerns about his form and controversies to get back to his best. This phase saw him batting as well as, or perhaps, even better than during his peak in the mid 1990s. The World Cup win in 2011 came as a cherry on the cake, as he realised his most cherished dream. G

30 INDIAN SPORTS SPO ICONS

occurred in 2004, when he was diagnosed with tennis elbow. The injuries es coincided with a dip in his form. The master blaster swapped flair with doggedness as was evident during his unbeaten 241 against Australia in n Sydney in 2004. A serious shoulder injury followed in 2006, for which he had to go under the knife. The injuries and his relatively subdued approach raised questions about his longevity, and experts like Ian Chappell even suggested it was time for him to walk into the sunset.

The proverbial last straw was Greg Chappell questioning his attitude ahead of the 2007 World Cup. No wonder, the divided team bowed out from the mega event in the first round itself.

30 INDIAN A SPOR AN SPORTS O R TS OR T S IC ICONS C ON ONS

142 42

143

Bhaichung Bhutia

Strike force 30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

Three-time Indian Player of the Year IM Vijayan described Bhutia as “God’s gift to Indian football”.

When Bhutia signed for English club Bury FC in 1999, he became the first Indian footballer to play professional football in Europe. In between he’s played for top Indian clubs JCT, East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. He is India’s most capped player, and in the 2009 Nehru Cup, received his 100th international cap.

144 44

W

HEN BHAICHUNG BHUTIA QUIT INTERNATIONAL football last August, it was the end of a defining era for Indian football. The poster-boy of the sport for close to two decades, drew the curtains on his 16-year-long international career following to a recurring calf injury.

The storyy of a young Sikkimese boy hailing from a nondescript villag village age by the name of Namchi at the helm of a team in a decaying sport is sstuff tuff tu that scripts epics.

Ganguly pics. Spotted by former India goalkeeper Bhaskar G angu gu uly at the 1992 Subroto protective ubroto Cup, Bhutia, then 15, and under the protec ecttivee wings of unclee Karma Bhutia soon made his way to Calcutt Calcutta ttaa where he earned ned a spot with city giants East Bengal.

Illustrious ous club career ACHIEVEMENTS

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

He was the Indian Player of the Year twice in his career: the first in 1996 and then again in 2008. Bhutia is also the only footballer to have won both the Arjuna and the Padma Shri while he was still playing.

Fate had him earmarked for success and his move to t now-disbanded ed JCT in 1995 saw him pick up the 1996-977 league title which hich was also the Phagwara side’s last piece ooff silverware on the national stage.

What really third-tier English ally set him apart was a celebrated move to third -tie tierr En Engl glish club Bury FC C in 1999 that made him the first Indian to ply his trade in England post-Independence. t-Independence. He further capped it with a goal against Chesterfield in May, 2000, effectively making him the first player of Indian-origin n to score in an English league.

His brief stint with Malaysian club Perak FC endeared him to south-east Asian fans.

Bhutia also Mohun lso won glory at both East Bengal and Mohu un Bagan but they hey were mostly individual laurels that included top goal-scorer medals and won the ‘Player of thee Year’ twice.

Leading g the nation Under hiss captaincy (the longest in the history off the national team that lasted between etween 2000 and 2011), India dia picked up five titles and d his astute te leadership and aggressive nd aggre essivve defending of his team teammates mmaatees were well-known. own.

Bhaichung Bhutia celebrates after scoring for Mohun Bagan.

- Prateek Choudhury/HT

Right: Bhutia in action against Tajikistan in AFC Challenge Cup in Hyderabad.

- Krishnendu Halder/Reuters

Baichung Bhutia was born on December 15, 1976.

DOWN THE YEARS

145

1995

Bhutia scored on international debut against Uzbekistan in the 1995 Nehru Cup becoming India’s youngest scorer at 19.

1995

He transferred to JCT Mills in Phagwara, which went on to win the National Football League in the 1996–97. Bhutia was the top scorer.

1997

In 1997, he returned to East Bengal. He scored the first hattrick in the local derby, against Mohun Bagan.

1998

–99 He became captain in the 1998–99 season, during which East Bengal finished n second behind Salgaocar in the league.

1999

On 30 September 1999, he travelled overseas to join Bury in England, on a three-year contract.

2003

At the age of 16, he left school to join professional football at East Bengal Club in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

In the 2003–04 season, Bhutia scored n the e 12 goals as East Bengall won rom secondleague by four points from placed Dempo.

ional He announced international rd retirement with a record of 43 goals in 107 appearances.

30 INDIAN SPORTS SPO SP OR R TS T S IC IICONS CO ON NS

The fface of a generation generati who will forever for be remembered rememb as having b brought Indian ffootball to the international intern spotlight sp

His performance at the Subroto o Cup, where he was the “Best Player”, brought him to the notice.

2011

1993

1992

Bhutia is considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in n the international arena.

30 INDIAN SPORTS ICONS

146

Skipper Bhutia in action during the AFC Challenge Cup match against Afghanistan in Hyderabad. India won the match 1-0.

- PTI

147

Clockwise from left: Bhutia poses for the lenses.

- Raj K Raj/HT

Bhutia and Madhuri soon after they got married in Sikkim.

- Subhendu Ghosh/HT

At a talent hunt in Mumbai.

- Hemant Padalkar/HT

Receives the Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil.

- Sonu Mehta/HT

TRIVIA

Life after football Bhutia’s club, United Sikkim FC, where he serves as chairman and co-owner will be competing in the 2012-13 I-League season. on. He was given a fitting farewell in January 2012 when German giants Bayern ayern Munich visited New Delhi to play an exhibition match in his honour. our. The face of a generation who will forever be remembered as having brought rought India to the international spotlight after the lean 80s and early 90s, Bhutia’s journey has been an inspiration and delightful for those who watched d him play. G

30 0 IIN INDIAN N DI DIA AN N SPORTS SPO SP OR RT TS S IC IICONS C ON O NS NS

In 2009, partnering choreographer Sonia Jaffer, he won the third season of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, the Indian version of the international series Dancing with the Stars. Bhutia earned Rs 4 million for winning the final. Bhutia donated half the prize money to charity and the other half he shared with his choreographer.

His goal-scoring never suffered either and Bhutia holds the record of being highest goal-scorer for the national team (for whom hom he debuted on November 10, 1995 during a Nehru Cup match against Thailand) with 43 strikes in 107 appearances.

The Asian Cup, where he remained sidelined for much uch of the tournament, was Bhutia’s ultimate achievement. Underr then coach Bob Houghton, the squad captained by him qualified forr the continent’s landmark event after winning the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup (where he emerged as the ‘Most Valuable Player’ and had scored thrice), breaking a 27-year-old absence from the tournament.