5 Indian Hockey Players, 5 Iconic Indian Hockey players list

5 legendary players of Indian Hockey who have been forgotten today

January 29, 2025

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Top 5 Indian Hockey Players of All Time

Hockey as sport has given so much glory to us as country where the maximum gold medals which we have etched in Olympics is possible due to this popular sport.

India as a team were undisputed champion from independence starting era till 1980.

Post 1980, Indian team failed to replicate the similar performance as turf changed from “Green Field” to “Astro Turf Surface” where Hockey will be played.

India due to lack of skill and modern infrastructure, failed to replicate similar performance post 1980.

Then comes Sahara India as Sponsor followed Orissa Government who sponsored them and credit should be given to former CM Naveen Patnaik who is avid Hockey fan.

India finally discovered their magic in 2020, winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

They then had a similar showing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where they took home another bronze medal.

The stakeholders in Hockey India should also receive recognition for their outstanding performance, as they have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this organization incredibly well-liked.

The Top 5 Indian Hockey Players of All Time are presented in the following format in this article:

5. Udham Singh: Undoubtedly, one of the best Indian hockey players of all time is Udham Singh.

Udham Singh was an outstanding player who played for the Indian team that won three silver and one gold medal at the Olympics.

In the 1950s, he was India’s most dominant player.

He was Centre forward for Indian team where he scored 14 goals in 1952, 1956 and 1960 Olympics respectively.

4. Balbir Singh SR: He was another legendary player for the Indian team and was likely to be the next big thing in Indian hockey after independence.

He won consecutive matches for India by himself because he was an aggressive player on the field.

His contribution to India’s three consecutive Olympic gold medals from 1948 to 1956 was significant.

Following his playing career, he was a member of the coaching staff and led India to the 1975 Hockey World Cup.

He scored 23 Goals for Indian Hockey team as Centre Forward player, in 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics respectively.

3. Mohammad Shahid & Dhanraj Pillay: Undoubtedly, one of the most recognizable and talented athletes of all time is Mohammad Shahid.

He was a member of the Indian team that won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

In 1980 and 1986, respectively, he received the Arjuna Award and the Padam Shri Award in recognition of his enormous contribution to Indian hockey.

Another stalwart of Indian hockey, Dhanraj Pillay, stated that the reason these two were kept together in one team was because they were both fierce players with comparable playing styles.

Even Dhanraj acknowledged that “Mohammad Shahid inspired him to play hockey.” Known for his ability to attack, Dhanraj Pillay captained the Indian hockey team and guided it to victories in the Asian Games in 1998 and 2003.

He was honored with Arjuna Award in 1995.

P R Sreejesh lifestyle

2. PR Sreejesh: Second on our list is the legendary hockey goalie Pr Sreejesh, who excelled for India in the final stages of the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, respectively.

Along with winning the gold medal in the 2008 Junior Hockey Asia Cup, he was named the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024.

He was also named the “Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament” for the Indian team.

When it came to absorbing pressures and providing for the nation when it counted most, he is simply outstanding.

1. Major Dhyan chand: You can make any list in Indian hockey, and “Major Dhyan Chand” is the one player who will stand out among all the greats

.He was thought to be the greatest hockey player India has ever produced.

Dhyan Chand was known as the “Hockey Wizard” and was the greatest magician with a stick.

His ability to score multiple goals by determining the right positions, which allowed him to score two hat-trick goals in consecutive Olympic events.

There is a well-known story about Hitler, the dictator of Germany, being available during India’s match against Germany in 1936. Impressed by Dhyan Chand’s performance, Hitler offered him German citizenship, which he declined.

He was also involved in an incident where a number of experts questioned whether a hockey stick had a magnet, but this was later proven to be untrue.

He scored 37 goals for India, in 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics respectively where India etched Gold medals on all three succession.

The Government of India has renamed the “Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award” as the “Major Dhyan Chand Award” in recognition of his leadership and playing contributions to Indian hockey, and August 29th has been designated as “National Sports Day.”