Raghbir Singh Bhola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Group Captain
Raghbir Singh Bhola
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Ragbhir Singh Bhola at the 1998 Asian Games
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| Birth name | Raghbir Singh Bhola | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 August 1927 Multan, Pakistan |
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| Died | 21 January 2019 (aged 91) New Delhi, India |
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| Allegiance |  India |
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| Service/ |
 Indian Air Force |
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| Years of service | 1952-1978 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank |  Group Captain |
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| Unit | AE(L) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Raghbir Singh Bhola (born August 18, 1927, died January 21, 2019) was an amazing Indian Air Force officer and a super talented international hockey player. He proudly played for India in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the 1960 Rome Olympics. He helped India win a gold medal in 1956 and a silver medal in 1960! For his great work in Indian Hockey, he received the Arjuna Award in 2000.
Contents
Growing Up and Learning
Raghbir Singh Bhola was born in Multan, which is now part of Pakistan. His family moved to Multan a long time ago. He went to Government Model High School in Khanewal, Pakistan. Life in Khanewal was simple, with no electricity and only one shared water pump. His father would wake the family up early to collect water and do chores.
After high school, Bhola moved to New Delhi, India, for more studies. He studied Electrical Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering, which is now called Delhi Technological University (DTU). After finishing his engineering degree, he joined the Indian Air Force in February 1952. In 1962, the Indian Air Force chose him to study Electrical Engineering for two years in the UK, at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield University. He completed this course successfully.
His Hockey Journey
Starting in School
Government Model High School in Khanewal was well-known for its sports. This is where Bhola first became interested in sports. The hockey team was very good, so he only got to play when older players were not available. A doctor named Khuda Baksh Awan also encouraged him to play with his own children. Bhola was part of the school's field hockey team that won the Interschool XI Championship.
When he moved to New Delhi for college, he played hockey for D.A.V High School in Paharganj. He also played for the Brothers Club in college games.
Playing for the Services Team
While training at the Air Force Technical College in Bangalore, Bhola was chosen to play for the Services Hockey team. This team played in the National Hockey Championship in March 1953. The Services team won this championship for the very first time! This was the start of his national hockey career.
From 1954 to 1960, Bhola was the captain of both the Indian Air Force Hockey team and the Services Hockey team, except for one year (1956). During this time, his teams won the Inter Services Hockey Championship three times and the National Hockey Championship twice.
Olympic Adventures
1956 Melbourne Olympics: Gold Medal!
Raghbir Singh Bhola was a key part of the Indian Field Hockey team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The team was led by Balbir Singh.
India played incredibly well:
- They beat Afghanistan 14-0.
- They defeated the United States 16-0.
- They won against Singapore 6-0 in the group stage.
- In the semifinals, they beat Germany 1-0.
In the final match, India played against Pakistan. India won 1-0, bringing home the gold medal!
1960 Rome Olympics: Silver Medal!
Bhola was the only player from the Services Selection Board (SSB) chosen for the Indian Field Hockey National Team's goodwill tour in February 1954. This tour included games in Singapore and Malaysia. In 1959, he went on another goodwill tour to Egypt, Italy, Spain, and Germany. These tours helped the team get ready for the 1960 Rome Olympics.
For the 1960 Rome Olympics, the team was captained by Leslie Claudius. Bhola scored a total of 6 goals in the tournament:
- Three goals against Denmark.
- One goal against Holland.
- One goal against New Zealand.
- The only goal (scored in extra time) against Australia in the quarterfinals.
Bhola's goal against Australia, scored from a penalty corner in extra time, helped India reach the semifinals. There, they beat Great Britain 1-0.
India and Pakistan met again in the finals. Pakistan scored a goal in the first 10 minutes. India tried many times to score and tie the game, but the Pakistan goalie made great saves. In the last four minutes of the game, Bhola got the ball. He dodged past defenders, entered the shooting circle, and took a shot. It missed the goal by just six inches. India lost to Pakistan and won a silver medal.
