Forgotten Hero's Series: Shankar Laxman,first goalkeeper to become captain of an international hockey team
Shankar Lakshman (7 July 1933 – 29 April 2006) was an Indian hockey player. He was goalkeeper of the Indian team in the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics, that won two gold awards and one silver medal. He was the first goalkeeper to become captain of a worldwide hockey team and was granted the Arjuna award and the Padmasri by the Indian government. He was captain of the Indian team which won the gold in the 1966 Asian Games.
The twofold Olympic gold medallist Shankar Laxman, who has died aged 73 having suffered from gangrene, was one of the best hockey players ever when the game had a status near religion in India. he was the just a single to have played in three progressive Olympic finals.
Laxman was born at an army base close Indore in Madhya Pradesh. At 13, he deserted his school in Indore to seek after his enthusiasm for hockey. This in the end drove him into the Indian armed force and from 1955, he started speaking to the services team in the national title.
By 1956 he was a piece of the gold award winning Melbourne Olympics group, when India did not lose a solitary match, and vanquished Pakistan 1-0 in the last. In 1958, he was in the gold award winning team, when hockey was first presented in the Asian Games in Tokyo, yet while performing splendidly at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Nasir Ahmed's twelfth moment objective in the last gave Pakistan the triumph and finished India's keep running of 30 Olympic hockey wins without misfortune. This made Laxman the objective of mishandling at home.
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Be that as it may, in 1962, not surprisingly, he was the star goalkeeper in the Asian Games in Jakarta, where India effectively shielded its title and fans took Laxman to their souls once more. His hour of most prominent wonderfulness came in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 where India beat Pakistan 1-0 in the last. Unassuming to a blame, Laxman was the main player from the successful group got India's most astounding games respect, the pined for Arjuna award.
In 1966 he captained India in the Asian Games in Bangkok and again beat Pakistan for the gold medal. In 1967 he was given the prestigious Padma Shri award by the leader of India for his brandishing accomplishments. Be that as it may, in 1968 there was no place for Laxman in the Mexico Olympics squad and he accordingly declared retirement. India floundered in Mexico, getting under way the nation's decrease in a game it had ruled for quite a long time. In 1979 Laxman resigned as a privileged skipper in the Maratha Light Infantry.
Overlooked by the hockey specialists and enthusiasts alike, Laxman lived in neediness - and was then determined to have gangrene. Specialists prompted removal however he favored naturopathic cures. The £300 given by the Madhya Pradesh sports service towards his treatment was considered more to be mortification than help, while Laxman's grandson condemned what he saw as the lack of interest of the Indian Hockey Federation.
Laxman was incinerated at Mhow with full military respects. He is made due by his better half, three little girls and a child.
Shankar Laxman, sportsman, conceived July 7 1933; Diad April 29 2006.