Former Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal, a bronze medallist at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, passed away in Zirakpur on Friday after suffering a heart attack. He was 84.
Grewal, who was part of the Indian team that clinched the bronze in Mexico City, is remembered not just for his achievements on the field but also for the warmth and camaraderie he shared with teammates, friends and family over the decades.
His brother, Balbir Singh Grewal, spoke about their unique place in Indian hockey. "We were the first brothers to play in an Olympics together," he said, his voice heavy with grief. After the demise of Gurbax's wife during the pandemic, the Olympian divided his time between his daughter's home in Mumbai and his house in Zirakpur.
"On Friday afternoon, after his visit to my place in Ludhiana, we dropped him back home. When I reached back, I received a call from my daughter saying that my brother was no more," he said.
For three-time Olympian Harbinder Singh, the loss is deeply personal. He said their friendship dates back to childhood. "Our fathers were both in the Army and were posted in Jalandhar after Partition. With no married accommodation available, our families moved to Sansarpur. That's where we met," he said.
It was in that small hockey nursery of Punjab that Grewal, Harbinder and Balbir Singh first crossed paths — a meeting that would eventually see all three don Indian colours at the 1968 Olympics. "The journey began from Sansarpur. We attended national camps together and later joined the Railways. We spoke last month and he told me he wasn't keeping well," Harbinder recalled.
Col Balbir (retd) highlighted the fierce competition of the era. "Like cricket today, hockey back then had intense competition. Even an experienced player like Gurbax had to wait for his chance, and still nothing was guaranteed," he said, adding that Grewal's contribution to promoting hockey was unmatched.
From Sansarpur to the Olympic podium, Grewal's journey remains one of the glorious chapters of Indian hockey.
Hockey journey: A timeline
- Early years: Began playing hockey at school in Sansarpur village. His father, who served in the Army, was posted in Jalandhar, where his exposure to competitive hockey deepened.
- 1961: Moved to Bombay (Mumbai) and joined Indian Railways, marking the start of his professional hockey career.
- 1963: Selected for the National Railways team. Represented the side at the National Hockey Championship in Chennai (then Madras), emerging as one of the top scorers. Later that year, he made it to the Indian team for the 10 Nations Tournament in Germany.
- Mid-1960s: Faced a series of injuries that impacted his playing career.
- 1968: Represented India at the Mexico Olympics, playing alongside his brother — a rarity.
- 1980s: Completed a coaching course at NIS Patiala, transitioning into mentoring roles.
Coaching career
- Coached the Western Railways men's team
- Took charge of the women's team, contributing to the development of players across categories
- Served as honorary secretary of the Mumbai Hockey Association, remaining actively involved in the sport beyond coaching
