Olympian Garcha, an inspiration for budding hockey players
Died on January 10
Olympian Davinder Singh Garcha, a key figure in the hockey fraternity and the president of the Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi Memorial Hockey Tournament, died on January 10. His death has created a deep void among players, organisers and admirers of the sport.
Garcha had been associated with the tournament since its inception and was one of the Olympians, who played a pivotal role in starting it. Over the years, he along with others organised the annual event, including its silver jubilee edition in 2025.
Speaking earlier to The Tribune, during the silver jubilee celebrations, Garcha had said he had invited Ashok Kumar, son of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, as the chief guest. “Dhyan Chand was truly a ‘jadugar’ of hockey. I want him to be here,” he had said. But, Ashok Kumar could not come.
Garcha had also emphasised the importance of preserving hockey’s legacy. “The stories of old Olympians should be told to the younger generations so that they understand our rich history and draw inspiration from it,” he had said.
The tournament commemorates Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi, one of Jalandhar’s revered hockey players from village Nangal Ambian. A gifted athlete, Munshi’s promising career was cut short when he died of jaundice in 1977 at the age of just 24. His brother Satpal Singh along with fellow players and admirers has continued to honour his memory through the annual tournament and other tributes. Garcha was among the strongest supporters of this effort.
Satpal said the idea to start the tournament had originally been proposed by Garcha. “He was an important part of the tournament, and his death is a big loss. But I will make sure the tournament continues. It is for my brother and for Garcha as well, as he would never want the tournament to stop,” he said.
"We have still not come to terms with the fact that he has gone. His contribution was immense," he said.
He was part of the Indian hockey team that won the gold medal in the 1980 Summer Olympics where he scored eight goals in total of six Olympic matches and played over 30 international matches playing just three tournaments, scoring 19 goals.
Garcha’s contribution to hockey, particularly his efforts to keep alive the legacy of past Olympians, will be remembered by the sporting community for years to come.
