Rajpal Singh

Rajpal Singh, Former Captain of Indian National Hockey Team, was born on 08.08.1983 in Punjab. He did his schooling from Shiwalik Public School and graduated from S.G.G.S. Khalsa College, Chandigarh. He started his career by joining Indian Oil Corporation. He had a strong desire to show his love and ability as a Hockey player. He came to limelight with a sterling show at his first International outing at the 2001 Youth Asia Cup. India had won the cup at Ipoh, Malaysia, and he was declared the player of the tournament with 7 Golds in his kitty. In 2005, he got an opportunity to participate in ‘Sultan Azlan Shah Cup’. In 2007, he played in the German second division (Bundesliga) for Marienburger SC, Cologne. In the first round, he scored four times with Adrian d’Souza. BIMAL Lakra and William Xalco,. there played four Indians for this club. Rajpal was one of many Indians in 2007 who played in Germany in preparation for the Olympic Games in 2008 in China.He became captain of the team for the World Cup 2010 in New Delhi but, the team finished 8th. He was also the captain during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in which our team defeated Pakistan and also England in the Semi-final but the final was lost against the mighty Australian Team.In 2011, he captained the Indian Team in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, which India won by defeating their arch rivals, Pakistan in the final.

In the meantime, he was honoured by Arjuna Award and given a post in Police. Afterwords, due to some differences with the Hockey Administrators, he was removed from the Captainship. He is presently working as Incharge of Security with the Police. When, recently ICC World Twenty-20 matches were played at Mohali, he was one of the Security Officer, posted there. He said, when he was captain of the Hockey Team, he served the Nation and when he is on this job of Security, it is also a service to the Nation. “I can say one thing that only the colour of uniform has changed. First we used to turn out for our country wearing blues and now we are dressed in the khakis”. “But job remains the same, which is to serve the Nation”. The spirit remains the same, only field has changed. With Pargat Singh Rajpal Singh Pardeep Singh Nagra 500 Sikh 247 Role Models his devotion and dedication to duty in both these fields, Rajpal remains a role model who is now living with his wife Avneet Kaur.