Today we delve deep into a unique and, at times, tragic chapter of Indian hockey, a story told through the lens of acclaimed sports journalist, author and veteran hockey reporter Sundeep Misra. Joining us in this podcast as well is Vasudevan Baskaran, legendary Indian hockey player, Olympian and coach, who captained India to its last Olympic hockey gold at the 1980 Moscow Games and is himself a witness to much of Indian hockey’s golden era. Together we revisit the remarkable, sometimes mysterious, life of Prithipal Singh: player, administrator, and the tragic figure at the heart of a murder which remains unresolved to this day.
Meet the Guests: Sundeep Misra and Vasudevan Baskaran
Sundeep Misra is one of India’s most respected sports journalists, with over thirty years of experience covering not just hockey but the Olympics, nine Men's Hockey World Cups, and a wide array of disciplines as a author and commentator. His recently published book investigates the murder of Prithipal Singh, gold-medal winning Olympian and once-called “the king of penalty corners,” whose life came to a brutal end in 1983 under circumstances that remain shrouded in mystery.
Vasudevan Baskaran, meanwhile, is a true hockey great: captain of the 1980 Olympic gold-winning Indian team, silver medalist at the 1973 World Cup, and later national coach. His firsthand memories of Prithipal and participation in the very fabric of the sport bring both historical and deeply personal insight to the episode.
What Inspired a Book on Prithipal Singh?
The episode opens with Sundeep Misra sharing the genesis of his fascination with Prithipal Singh as a subject. As Sundeep recounts, "I was in school, probably standard seventh or eighth, and that is the time when Prithipal came into my life. When I say came into my life, I mean through discussions with my father, who would list top sportsmen from India, and Prithipal's name was always on that list—even if, at the time, I didn’t know who he was." Sundeep candidly discusses how, having grown up distant from the centers of hockey lore in Orissa, he was forced to rely on fleeting references and second-hand stories about legends like Prithipal. It was only when he became a sports journalist, he says, that
"slowly, slowly I decided one day that since I already had a little bit of the knowledge that came in from my childhood days, why not expand on it… and when you want to expand even an article, you do a book." So here we are with the book.
The European (and Historical) Disconnect
Co-host Ernst Baart admits to not having been aware of Prithipal's murder or even his career, echoing a transcontinental cultural gap. He frames it as a broader issue: "Back then, we each lived very much in our own worlds... Also in my part of the world, we tend to look back less at history and are a bit more rooted in present and looking towards the future, is my feeling. But of course when you have such a rich past like Indian hockey, I guess it makes sense to also keep talking about those days." Ernst’s comment sets the tone for the wider relevance of remembering hockey’s past beyond the cricket-dominated narratives of India and, conversely, the future-leaning tendency of European commentary.
Baskaran’s Memories: The Man, The Selector, The Inspiration
Turning to Vasudevan Baskaran, Jaspreet seeks insight into the personal side of Prithipal, both as a legendary player and later as a powerful figure in Indian hockey administration. Baskaran not only saw Prithipal play as a teenager in Chennai but also interacted with him as a selector and mentor during the latter part of his career. He recalls: "I have seen him play when I was 13 years old at Chennai"
What stands out most to Baskaran is Prithipal’s imposing physical stature but equally his gentleness off the pitch:
“He was a terror in the ground, and he was a baby off the field. He used to talk softly and… I could remember that he was a great gentleman.”
The Challenges of Researching a ‘Cold Case’
What does it mean to research not just an iconic player but a murder mystery with far-reaching political and personal undercurrents? Sundeep highlights the dual challenge: "Both ways, honestly… the research part was a challenge. Speaking to people was a bigger challenge." He underscores how reticent former players, police, and the judiciary were to revisit the incident, fearing potential reopening of the case.
Moreover, Sundeep discovered the limitations of Indian sports archives. “Whatever material you get in all the newspapers was virtually the same,” he laments, contrasting it with the rich, multi-perspective archives in American and European sports.
Was Prithipal a Stern Selector? The 1975 World Cup Question
Jaspreet poses a probing query—was Baskaran’s exclusion from the 1975 World Cup team (where Prithipal was selector) due to personal bias? Baskaran dismisses any such suggestion, stating emphatically that Prithipal was above petty politics; "I don’t think… he was stubborn. If he feels right, yes, it's right." Baskaran paints a picture of a man fiercely committed to fairness and welfare, especially "for the youth of the students there."
The Player on the Pitch & Legend in Action
Ernst asks Sundeep to paint a picture of Prithipal as an athlete. Relying on accounts from contemporaries like Leslie Claudius, Sundeep reveals how Prithipal’s mere body language would dictate the mood of a game:
"When he walked onto the ground, the opposition usually didn’t look at too many of our players, but they always tried to understand from his body language what mood he was in today."
It’s clear that, as Sundeep says, Prithipal’s confidence and tactical intelligence were decades ahead of his era, studying opponent weaknesses, innovating in penalty corners, and exuding authority in defense.
Baskaran adds a colorful reminiscence: "He inspired me... Pakistani players would ask if Peter and Prithipal Singh were in the Indian team—for Peter made the corners, Prithipal converted them. The fear of the goalkeepers those days was that it was very, very powerful... Sometimes when during practice... the hit will eat the cotton in the pad."
“He was a terror in the striking D. Otherwise all his passes are very soft. The only time he hits the ball 160 miles, 170 miles is only through the short corners. Otherwise his were gentleman passes.”
A Missing Smile
Why did Prithipal never celebrate after scoring, and what did his matches against Pakistan mean to him? Sundeep draws a poignant psychological portrait: "When partition happened... he was from a village nearby Nankana... I think at some point of time he just couldn't understand the reason to move... That baggage he carried on and on..." For Prithipal, losing to Pakistan in the Olympics was not just a sporting defeat—it was linked to a deeper sense of loss.
“Winning that final for him was like taking your home back because you also believe that somebody else took it. So mentally you can be free from there.”
Did India Fail to Deliver Justice for Prithipal Singh?
With the core theme of Sundeep's book being the unresolved nature of Prithipal’s murder, Jaspreet asks if India failed the hockey hero. Sundeep answers unequivocally:
"Yes, I think so... The state failed horribly, Punjab failed miserably in that account… when you deal with an assassination… you need to dig deeper not because you want to give justice, you need to dig deeper because you want to bring justice to a particular person."
Notably, Sundeep describes a bleak scenario, officials allegedly knew Prithipal's life was under threat, yet sufficient protection and prevention were absent.
Allegations, Animosities, and the Reality of University Politics
Ajaib Singh, a former student leader once implicated (but never charged) in the planning of Prithipal’s murder, appears via a recorded statement, accusing Prithipal of being “adamant” and actively harming student welfare. Sundeep challenges these claims vigorously, stating that disagreements and disciplinary measures are part-and-parcel of university life but “it doesn’t mean that they start murdering them that way.” According to Sundeep, student union politicking escalated personal animosities into vendettas with deadly consequences.
Back to Hockey’s Present: India’s Olympian Ups and Downs
Toward the episode’s close, Ernst asks Baskaran for his feelings about India’s recent Olympic resurgence, particularly the bronze in Tokyo and Paris, and how it compared to the heartache of missing the semifinals in Sydney 2000, where Baskaran was coach. Baskaran reflects that while the bronze was celebrated, “in Punjab, there’s a saying—if you come with bronze, people don’t even come to the airport.” He notes, however, that the progress from Tokyo to Paris is promising, though for many Indian hockey lifers “only gold is gold.”
This episode of Studio Hockey offered an extraordinary, multifaceted look at a figure whose impact on hockey and whose tragic demise continues to resonate: Prithipal Singh.
Sundeep Misra’s book and the memories shared by Vasudevan Baskaran invite listeners to consider not only the sporting life, but also the personal, political, and historical forces shaping a legend.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Studio Hockey, a podcast devoted to international and domestic field hockey.
Until next time, happy hockey!
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