An Olympians Tryst With Soldiering

An Olympian’s Tryst with Soldiering is a chronicle of 79-year-old Balbir’s life in the Indian Army and as a hockey player, winning the Olympic Bronze Medal, the Asian Gold Medal and the Arjuna Award, the then-highest sports award in the country. While serving on the rolls of 4 SIKH (formerly 36 SIKH, the Saragarhi Baalion), Balbir had a close association with the late Lieutenant General Harbaksh Singh, who was a great hockey player and the hero of the Indo-Pak War of 1965, and with the late Lieutenant Colonel Anant Singh, who was the hero of the Bale of Barki. With a career filled with awards, and ups and downs alike, Balbir received the Maharaja Ranjit Singh award in 2019 from Captain Amarinder Singh (2 SIKH), former Chief Minister of Punjab, adding to his long list of decorated credentials. The book features many important milestones, interesting anecdotes, and numerous trivia from the ‘golden era’ of Indian hockey, and from his Army days. Some of the pieces on all-time hockey greats include the ones on Col Gurmit Singh (1932 Olympics), Bulbul Carapiet, Prithipal Singh, RS Gentle, Udham Singh, goalkeeper Havildar Kirpa Ram, and Ball Boy Sai. There is also a special tribute to the cricket legend Bishen Singh Bedi.