Charanjit Singh, the captain of India's 1964 Olympic Gold medal-winning hockey team passed away in Una, his village in Himachal Pradesh. The former hockey midfielder was 91 years old at the time of his death.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and that followed an age-related illness leading to his death. He is survived by two sons and a daughter.
Singh was in paralysis since the last five years since he suffered a stroke. "Dad was paralysed after suffering a stroke five years back. He used to walk with a stick but since the last couple of months, his health deteriorated and this morning he left us," V P Singh told PTI.
"His last rites will be performed today after my sister reaches Una from Delhi," V P Singh said.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur tweeted about Charanjit Singh's death and wrote: "The demise of former Indian hockey player and captain Shri Charanjit Singh ji, born in Una, Devbhoomi Himachal, is sad. Your death is a great loss to the sports world" (in Hindi)
He was honored with Arjuna Award and Padma Shri for his remarkable contribution to hockey. Besides the 1964 gold medal win, he was also part of India's 1960 Olympic silver medal team and also in the 1962 Asian Games silver medal-winning team.
Hockey India also tweeted, "On behalf of Hockey India, we mourn the loss of a great figure of Indian Hockey, Shri Charanjit Singh.
May his soul Rest in Peace"