India achieved the ultimate revenge by beating Great Britain in the final of the 1948 Olympics final to secure their fourth straight gold in hockey.
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India had achieved Independence on August 15, 1947, but it came at a cost. The nation was divided into two separate nations of India and Pakistan. Many hockey players who were part of the Indian side had switched allegiance to Pakistan. The scars of partition haunted India big time. But, it was the start of a whole new chapter. The Olympics was resuming after the end of World War 2. India participated in the Olympics for the first time in its history. They had won three hockey gold in 1928, 1932, and 1936.
Now, India was aiming for an unprecedented fourth gold. But, the odds were stacked. They had to build a new team. The hopes of a nation were now pinned on the hockey team. All the ravages of partition had to be healed. In 1948, a grand spectacle was unveiled. Emotions and nationalism were at a fever pitch.
The India Hockey Federation president Naval Tata worked overtime to ensure that the team was right. There were eight players in the team from Punjab. Kishan Lal was the captain of the side, having played for the Railways. In a novel gesture, Tata decided to fly the team to London rather than go by ship. He was going to bear the cost.
But, Indian regionalism was about to play a part. Balbir Singh Sr was omitted from the team. But, the timely intervention from Leslie Claudius and Dickie Carr ensured Indian hockey’s dominance would be sustained. Claudius in the midfield, paired up with Balbir Singh in the front to produce some dazzling hockey.
Balbir Singh Sr arrived with the India hockey and it was star-studded. Keshav Singh, Randhir Singh Gentle, Ranganathan Francis, and vice-captain KD Singh Babu were the lynchpins of the team.
India was placed in Group A with Austria, Spain, and Argentina. The matches were played on heavy grass surfaces but that did not impede India much. India thrashed Austria 8-0 and routed Argentina 9-1. Balbir Singh was in prime form as he smashed six goals to give India the advantage.
Remarkably, Balbir Singh was dropped for the next two games against Spain and the Netherlands in the semi-final. Although India won both games by a close margin, they were missing the services of Balbir Singh.
In those two matches, a pattern emerged. The heavy rain had made the outfield sodden and heavy. Secondly, they did not utilize the services of Balbir Singh at all. In the final, they were going to face the United Kingdom. There was plenty at stake. Fearing that Balbir Singh would not be picked, some Indian students protested outside the residence of Indian High Commissioner VK Krishna Menon. The students demanded that Balbir Singh was included. It was one of the most important protests in history as Balbir Singh was included. The stage was set for an epic Olympics final.
20 years earlier, an Indian team had hammered Great Britain in the Folkstone festival. The repercussions of the loss was heavy. Britain refused to send a team to the 1928 Olympics, fearing that a loss by a colony would impact their prestige immensely. Now, in 1948, India was playing as an independent nation against their former colonial masters.
The heavy rain once again impacted the match and the outfield was heavy. But, the inclusion of Balbir Singh changed the dynamics of the team. Knowing the conditions in the UK, the Indian team wore boots with studs that helped them grip the pitch better. With skill, precision and speed at their disposal, India put on a display unlike anyone.
Balbir Singh scored two goals. India thrashed the United Kingdom 4-0. It was independent India’s first Olympic gold medal. The sight of the Indian flag being raised in London was a moment forever etched in history. A new nation had already made a massive impact on the world stage. Hockey, which had given them glory pre-Independence, continued to deliver the goods for them even after independence.
The efforts of the 1948 India Hockey team were later made into a film titled Gold. Akshay Kumar, one of the best actors in Bollywood, was part of the film as it documented the struggle of the Indian team in the quest for gold. 1948 showed that India as a nation could match up with anyone in the world.
