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Gurbax Singh Grewal, a 1968 Olympic bronze medallist and Indian hockey, has passed away at 84.
News18
Indian hockey has lost one of its quiet stalwarts today.
Gurbax Singh Grewal, a member of India’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, passed away at the age of 84 following a heart attack in Zirakpur on Friday.
Grewal’s Influence On And Off The Pitch
Born on April 1, 1942, in Lyallpur, Punjab Province of British India, near present-day Faisalabad in Pakistan, Gurbax came to Mumbai in his twenties to play hockey for the Western Railways.
Gurbax then went on to represent India alongside his brother, Balbir Singh Grewal, at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico — making up one of those rare, feel-good footnotes in the country’s sporting archives.
While his on-field achievements earned him recognition, Grewal’s contribution to Indian hockey extended far beyond his playing days.
After hanging up his boots, he took on a crucial role as a senior sports officer with Western Railways.
In that capacity, he became instrumental in spotting and nurturing talent, particularly from Rajasthan, helping several players find their footing within the Railways’ hockey ecosystem — long regarded as a strong pipeline for Indian hockey.
Even after retiring from service in Mumbai, Grewal stayed closely connected to the sport. He served as the honorary secretary of the Mumbai Hockey Association, continuing to give back to the game that had defined his life.
(with PTI inputs)
April 25, 2026, 12:28 IST
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