Hockey India (HI) will be honouring 34 Olympic gold medallists with Rs two lakh each at a grand felicitation ceremony on June 24, coinciding with the departure of the Indian team for the London Olympics.
Balbir Singh Sr and Leslie Claudius, both part of Indian teams that won gold medals at three successive Olympic Games from 1948, will be among others who will be honoured at the function. “It is our way of recalling the contribution of these legends to our sport and to the country,” Hockey India secretary-general Narinder Batra said.
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“The London Games hockey competition will be the first Olympics after the formation of Hockey India and we want to avail the opportunity to celebrate their gold medal winning feats,” added Batra. At 87 years of age, Balbir Singh is the oldest of the Indian Olympic gold medallists.u00a0