Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Legendry hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Senior is running from pillar to post to get his medals back from the Sports Authority of India. As the SAI had prepared a project to set up a sport museum it 1985, it had asked all the Indian players, who took part in the Olympics and other international sports events, to donate their memorabilia for the proposed museum. Apart from his blazer, which he wore as an Indian flag bearer in 1952 Olympic and 36 medals, which he won at various international hockey tournaments, he had donated some other belongings to the SAI for the proposed museum.
“ Now I have only three Olympic Gold Medals, which I won in 1948, 1952 and 1956, with me and all other medals which were handed over the SAI, are not traceable”, said Balbir Singh, who scored five goals in the 1956 final match and that record has not been broken by any player till date. For his super performance in the Hockey in 1950s, Balbir Singh was specially invited by the International Olympic Association (IOA) at London Olympics in 2012. He was only Asian among the 16 outstanding Olympians from the across the globe to be honoured there.
But these medals and blazer are not traceable. For getting these back from the SAI, Balbir Singh has met Union Sports Ministry officials concerned several times but did not get any satisfactory reply from them. “ Last time, we met the Union Government officials concerned in May this year. They promised to locate the medals but nothing happened so far” said Kabir, grandson of Balbir Singh.
When Balbir Singh first time approached the SAI authorities to take the medals back, he was told that no proposal was made at any level to set up the museum. When he presented them with the proof showing that he delivered the medals to senior officials of the SAI personally and newspapers covered the same event prominently, then he was told that they had handed over the memorabilia of all players to the NIS, Patiala. “ When we approached the NIA authorities concerned at Patiala, they denied that they have got my medals from the SAD”, said Balbir Singh. However, later they accepted that they had got his blazer from the SAI.
Now, the NIS has lodged a report with the Patiala police regarding the misplacing of the blazer. “ But we are not satisfied with the action taken by the NIS. We want our medals back”, said Kabir adding that there appeared to be some conspiracy behind misplacing the medals. Balbir Singh’s name was proposed for Bharat Ratna award. “ May be some people have conspired with the objective of denying that award to Balbir Singh”, said Kabir adding that the family would continue its struggle till it gets the medals back.