Introduction
Sardar Surjit Singh Randhawa (October 10, 1951 - January 6, 1984) was an Indian field hockey player, who played for India national field hockey team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was a full back and captain of India field hockey team.Born in Batala, Punjab, he studied Guru Nanak School, Batala and later at Lyallpur Khalsa College at Jalandhar, where he started playing university level hockey tournaments.
Punjab Police Force After finishing college he joined the Punjab Police Force for a few years. He made his debut in the second Hockey World Cup in Amsterdam in 1973. He also played for India in the Munich Olympics in 1972, the 1974 and 1978 Asian Games, the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1978, and the 1982 World Cup held at Bombay. He was also the part of the winning team in 1975 Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Career He was included in the World Hockey XI in 1973 and the All-Star Hockey XI the next year. He was also the top scorer-both in the Esanda International hockey Tournament at Perth in Australia and the 1978 Asian Games. In his career he was able to score 4 Olympic goals. Initially he worked briefly with Indian Railways and Indian Airlines and finally with Punjab Police.
Randhawa's Passing Surjit Singh died in a car accident in 1984 near Kartarpur in Jalandhar district after his retirement from the game. The hockey stadium in Jalandhar (Surjit Hockey Stadium) is named after him. A hockey academy named after him is also being run by the Government of Punjab. In 1984, after his death, the Surjit Hockey Society was established in Jalandhar, and it organizes the annual Surjit Memorial Hockey Tournament in Jalandhar, every year,In 2012, in an effort to revive the sport in the state, Government of Punjab announced its decision to support the society. He was posthumously awarded the Arjuna Award in 1998.
Personal life His wife Chanchal Randhawa was also international field hockey player, who led India women's national field hockey team in the 1970s.His Son Sarbrinder Singh Randhawa was a world-level Lawn Tennis Player, who represented India in various international tournaments across the world. He is also an Asian Games Runners up which were held in Indonesia.
Captain Roop Singh Stadium He was also one of those few players who never argued with the umpire on any umpiring decision. After the final of the 1936 (Berlin) Olympics, the Germans were so impressed with him that they named a street after him. For the family it was a matter of great pride. A great player, he went through difficult times, though he was in the armed forces of the Maharaja Scindia. Captain Roop Singh Stadium Gwalior is situated in the northern region of Madhya Pradesh, formerly India's largest state, in central India. The Captain Roop Singh Stadium, named after an Olympic hockey gold medalist Captain Roop Singh, was originally a hockey stadium before it was converted into a cricket venue in the 1980s.
Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior The Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, named after Singh, was originally a hockey stadium before it was converted into a cricket venue in 1988. A street in Berlin was named after him following his impressive performance at the 1936 Olympics.The Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, named after Singh, was originally a hockey stadium before it was converted into a cricket venue in 1988. A street in Berlin was named after him following his impressive performance at the 1936 Olympics. He was also among the only three Indian players, the others being Dhyan Chand and Leslie Claudius to have the tube stations in London renamed in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics.
| Born | 10 October 1951 Surjit Singh Wala, Batala, Gurdaspur,Punjab, India |
| Died | 6 January 1984 (aged 32) Kartarpur, Jalandhar, Punjab, India |
| Height | 5'11" (180 cm) |
| Silver | 1973 Amsterdam |
| Gold | 1975 Kuala Lumpur |
| Silver | 1978 Bangkok |