Jalandhar: Olympian Garcha, an inspiration for budding hockey players

Jalandhar: Olympian Davinder Singh Garcha, a prominent figure in the hockey world and president of the Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi Memorial Hockey Tournament, passed away on January 10. His death has left a deep void among players, organizers, and fans of the sport. Garcha had been associated with the tournament since its inception and was one of the Olympians instrumental in its establishment. Over the years, he, along with others, organized the annual event, including its Silver Jubilee edition in 2025. During the Silver Jubilee celebrations, Garcha had said that he had invited Ashok Kumar, son of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, as the chief guest. He said, “Dhyan Chand was truly the ‘magician’ of hockey. I wanted him to come.” However, Ashok Kumar was unable to attend.
Garcha also emphasized the importance of preserving hockey’s legacy. He said, “The stories of past Olympians should be told to the new generation so they can understand and draw inspiration from our glorious history.” This tournament is in memory of Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi, a renowned hockey player from Nangal Ambian village in Jalandhar. A promising athlete, Munshi’s illustrious 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, have been honoring his memory through annual tournaments and other tributes. Garcha was one of the biggest supporters of this effort.
Satpal said that the idea for the tournament was originally conceived by Garcha. He said, “He was an integral part of the tournament, and his death is a huge loss. But I will ensure that the tournament continues. This is also for my brother and Garcha, as they would never want the tournament to stop.” He said, “We still can’t accept that he’s gone. His contribution was immense.” He was part of the gold medal-winning Indian hockey team at the 1980 Summer Olympics, scoring eight goals in six Olympic matches, and played over 30 international matches in just three tournaments, scoring 19 goals. Garcha’s contribution to hockey, especially his efforts to keep the legacy of past Olympians alive, will be remembered by the sports world for years to come.