Book on biography of Indian hockey players released

Chandigarh, Sep 26 (IANS) A book, 'Tokyo Olympics De Saade Hockey Khidari', based on a brief biography of bronze medal winning players of the Indian hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics was released here.

This is the fifth book authored by sports writer Navdeep Singh Gill, who is also a media advisor to the Punjab Olympic Association.

It was released by Punjab Olympic Association president Brahm Mohindra at an event organised by the association to honour hockey players on Saturday.

Association senior vice-president Rajdeep Singh Gill and secretary-general Raja KS Sidhu and players, including captain Manpreet Singh, were present on the occasion.

Congratulating the author, Mohindra said Navdeep has made a great effort to record the achievements of the players.

Former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh termed it as a great achievement to write literature on sports and players.

"This book written on the biography of the players would be a source of inspiration for the future generations," he said, adding Punjabis have excelled in every field, besides making a significant contribution in the sports internationally.

In Tokyo, the Indian hockey team won a medal at the Olympics after 41 years.

Navdeep Gill, who is serving as an Information and Public Relations Officer in the Punjab government, told IANS that the book comprises a brief biography of all 19 hockey players and chief coach Graham Reid.

The book also provides information on the history of Indian hockey at the Olympics and the performance of the team at the Tokyo Olympics, he added.

Gill has been writing about sports and players for the last 20 years. The author has previously authored four books -- 'Khed Ambar de Punjabi Sitaare', 'Main Avain Vekhiaan Asian Khedan', 'Akhi Vekhian Olympic Khedan' and 'Naulakha Bagh' -- all in Punjabi.

Tokyo Olympics medallists Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Simranjit Singh, Hardik Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh, Gurjant Singh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak, besides Olympians Devinder Singh Garcha, Baljit Singh Dhillon, Hardeel Singh Grewal and Tejbir Singh and Dronacharya Awardee coach Baldev Singh were among those present during the book release.