Veteran hockey coach Baldev Singh has received the prestigious Padma Shri award

NEW DELHI: Hockey veteran Baldev Singh will be honored with the prestigious Padma Shri by Droupadi Murma on May 25 for his massive contribution to Indian hockey. Singh is widely known for turning the small Haryana town of Shahabad Markanda into a major center for producing top hockey players.The 75-year-old first came to Shahabad Markand in 1982 as a coach of the Haryana Sports Department. Returning to the city in 1993, he helped build one of India’s most successful hockey academies, producing over 80 international players and eight Indian captains over the years.Before becoming a coach, Singh played for the Namdhari hockey team and later completed his coaching diploma from the National Institute of Sports in Bengaluru. In his coaching journey, he soon took on important roles in Indian hockey.In 1993, he worked as the head coach and selector of the Indian junior men’s team and later became the assistant coach of the Indian side that won the Champions Trophy in Chennai in 1996. He served as the head coach of the Indian men’s hockey team from 2001 to 2004.Under his leadership, India won the gold medal in the Asia Cup in 2004. He also coached the national team during major international tournaments, including the Champions Trophy in the Netherlands.For more than 40 years, Baldev Singh has been quietly contributing to Indian hockey. In addition to coaching, he worked with universities and sports institutions to develop young talents.He was also part of the center’s Olympic Task Force and helped prepare long-term plans for the Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles Olympics. His contribution is widely regarded as one of the biggest reasons for the rise of hockey talent from Haryana and North India.