Ajit Pal Singh
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| Full name | Ajit Pal Singh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
1 April 1947 Sansarpur, Punjab, India |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Halfback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ajit Pal Singh (also spelled Ajitpal Singh, born 1 April 1947) was an Indian professional field hockey player from Sansarpur, Punjab. He was the captain of the Indian hockey team. He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1970, and awarded it in 1972. He played at centre half position. He was captain of the Indian team at the Hockey World Cup 1975 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He represented India in three Olympics from 1968 through 1976, winning bronze medals in his first two Olympic Games. He was appointed as India's chef de mission for 2012 Summer Olympics. It was the first time that a sports person was given this opportunity, as earlier this position went to either politicians or administrators. However he could not make it to the event due to severe spondylitis. Seven member IOA, Indian Olympic Association Committee selected in April 2012 Ajit Pal Singh as Chef de Mission for Indian mission in London 2012 Olympics.He is also at present the organising member of All India Balwant Singh Kapur Hockey Tournament for Mata Parkash Kaur Cup held every year for school boys under-16. He is a recipient of the civilian honour of Padma Shri (1992).
Singh was born on 5 April 1947 at Sansarpur, a small village near Jalandhar Cantonment of Punjab, which was famous as a breeding ground for the hockey stars as this village had been home to a number of international hockey players who had done the nation proud with their commendable performance in the game.
At the age of 7 or 8 years, little Ajit had been handed over a Hockey stick by his uncle. He studied at the Cantonment Board Higher Secondary School, Jalandhar Cantonment and at the age of 16 years represented the Punjab State Schools Hockey team in 1963. During his initial days, Ajit used to play at the Full Back position. He moved to the Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar in 1964, and stayed there for a period of 4 years leading the college to 3 victories in the Punjab University College tournament. It was here that Ajit shifted from Full Back to Center Half, his real position. He was named the Captain of Punjab University Hockey team in 1966, and represented Indian Universities' Hockey team in 1968.
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