K. D. Singh facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 2 February 1922 Barabanki, United Provinces, British India |
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| Died | 27 March 1978 (aged 56) Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India |
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| Playing position | Inside Right | ||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Kunwar Digvijay Singh (born February 2, 1922 – died March 27, 1978) was a famous Indian field hockey player. People often called him "Babu". He was born in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh.
Babu Singh was known for his amazing passing skills and his ability to dribble the ball past opponents. Many people thought he was one of the best dribblers ever, almost as good as the legendary Dhyan Chand.
Contents
Education
Kunwar Digvijay Singh went to school at the Government High School, Barabanki. He also studied at Kanyakubj Inter College in Lucknow.
Hockey Career
Starting Out
Babu Singh began playing field hockey at a young age. He first played in a tournament at Dewa Mela. In 1937, when he was just 15, he played for his college hockey team in a big tournament.
He also played for the LYA Club in Lucknow. One time, his team played against a strong Delhi team that included Mohammed Hussain, a famous Olympic player. Babu Singh was not told that Hussain was playing. This way, he could play his natural game without feeling nervous.
During the match, Babu Singh used his amazing skills to keep the ball away from Hussain. Hussain was very surprised by how talented this young player was. After the game, Hussain said that Babu Singh would become one of the greatest hockey players ever. From 1939 to 1959, Babu Singh played for the Uttar Pradesh hockey team in all national tournaments.
As a Player
Babu Singh was first chosen for the All-India Hockey Team in 1946-47. This was for a tour to Afghanistan. After that, he quickly became one of the best forward players in the world.
In 1947, he played alongside Dhyan Chand during a tour of East Africa. Babu Singh scored 70 goals, which was more than Dhyan Chand's 62 goals on that tour! Even before the 1948 Olympics, people were already comparing him to Dhyan Chand.
He was the vice-captain of the Indian team at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. The Indian team won a gold medal there. This was a very special win because it was the first time India competed as an independent country in the Olympics. India had won gold medals before (in 1928, 1932, and 1936), but this one was extra important for the new nation.
Babu Singh played so well in the 1948 Olympics that a British newspaper wrote: "Babu's performance was almost perfect. His brilliant dribbling and clever passes made him the main reason for confusing the strong England defense. He often dribbled past many defenders easily throughout the tournament. He was the mastermind behind the attacks. It's easy to say that Babu is as hard to catch as Dhyan Chand."
In 1949, he became the captain of the Indian team. That year, the team scored 236 goals, and Babu Singh scored 99 of them! He was also the captain when India won another gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games. His playing in 1952 was called 'poetic'. He was the main planner and playmaker for the team.
Cyril Walter, a former New Zealand captain, wrote about him: "I can't find enough words to describe his amazing dribbling and the perfect timing and accuracy of his passes. Babu's dribbling is like poetry in motion."
As a Coach
After his playing career, Babu Singh became the coach for the Indian hockey team. He coached them for the 1972 Munich Olympics. He was also a member of many important groups, like the All India Council of Sports.
Later Life
Kunwar Digvijay Singh passed away on March 27, 1978.
Honours and Memorials
- In 1953, Babu Singh received the Helms Trophy. This award recognized him as the best hockey player in the world and the best sportsman in Asia. He was the first Indian to ever receive this trophy.
- The Government of India gave him the respected Padmashri award in 1958.
- Two stadiums are named after him: one in Barabanki city and one in Lucknow. Both are known as the "K. D. Singh Babu Stadium".
- A street in Barabanki city is also named after him.
See also
- List of Indian hockey captains in Olympics
- Field hockey in India
Images for kids
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The K. D. Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow.
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K. D. Singh Babu Marg, a street named after him in Barabanki.
