Pankaj Gupta

Pankaj Gupta
Born	1899
Died	5 March 1971 (aged 71–72)

Pankaj Kumar Gupta MBE (1899 - March 5, 1971) was one of the earliest Indian sports administrators involved in football, hockey and cricket. However, he gave his life for hockey, as a manager, administrator, and even a referee. Many called him "Mr. Hockey".

He studied Intermediate Arts at Sanskrit College and graduated from Bangabasi College of the University of Calcutta. He made an entry into the administration of the Indian Football Association, as a representative of Sporting Union club. In 1924, he was manager of the IFA team that went on a tour to Java, then part of Dutch East Indies and presently Indonesia

Starting with Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932, he was manager or coach of the Indian team or contingent to many sports events in Europe and America. He attended the World Football Congress twice as the Indian delegate, was manager of the Indian football team to Russia. and of the Indian cricket team visiting England in 1946 and 1952, and Australia in 1947-48. He toured Australia, New Zealand, and many countries of Europe and America with the Indian hockey team.

Gupta was the first coach of the legendary Dhyan Chand. The latter's actual name was Dhyan Singh. Gupta gave him the title of “Chand” or moon, and predicted that one day he would shine like a moon. So close were the two that when Jhansi Heroes went to Kolkata to participate in Beighton Cup all the players put up in hotel, but Dhyan Chand stayed with Gupta. Dhyan Chand has narrated many stories about Gupta. Here is one about their drive through the Dutch countryside, “Pankaj Gupta took us for a drive through a small narrow village which lay on our way to Doorn. We saw Dutch women lining up the streets peddling fresh fish caught from the dykes. The Bengali that he was, Pankaj Gupta remarked that the sight reminded him very much of the villages in Bengal. These Dutch women in their colourful costumes and wooden shoes presented a typical rural Dutch scene.”

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