New Delhi/Chandigarh, 25 April (H.S.): Indian hockey legend and 1968 Olympics bronze‑medallist Gurbax Singh Grewal passed away on Friday after a heart attack. He was 84 and breathed his last in Zirakpur.

Hockey India confirmed his death. The federation stated that Gurbax Singh Grewal was part of the Indian men’s hockey team that won the bronze medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He belonged to the select group of players who uplifted Indian hockey’s prestige on the international stage through consistent performances.

A special highlight of his career was that he represented India at those same Olympics alongside his brother Balbir Singh Grewal. It was a rare occasion when two real brothers featured together in the Indian hockey squad at the Olympic Games, adding an emotional chapter to Indian sports history.

After retiring from active play, Gurbax Singh Grewal remained closely associated with hockey. He served as a senior sports officer with Western Railways, where he played a key role in identifying several promising players and inducting them into the railways hockey setup, some of whom came from Rajasthan.

Following his retirement from service, he continued to reside in Mumbai and contributed actively to sports administration. He remained connected to the Mumbai Hockey Association as its honorary secretary, helping guide the sport’s development at the grassroots and institutional levels.

His passing has sent a wave of grief across the Indian hockey fraternity, with fans and officials paying rich tributes to his legacy as an Olympian and a tireless ambassador of the game.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar