Hockey India Mourns Demise of Legendary Coach Gurdial Singh Bhangu
Former India women's hockey coach Gurdial Singh Bhangu has died aged 86 in Surrey, Canada.
Gurdial Singh Bhangu, who coached India to women's hockey gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, has died aged 86. Hockey India paid tribute to his contribution to Indian hockey.
Key takeaways
- Gurdial Singh Bhangu died aged 86 in Surrey, Canada
- He coached India to gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- India beat England 3-2 in the final with Mamta Kharab scoring the golden goal
- He took charge of the women's team in 1998 after a 12th World Cup finish
- He received the Dronacharya Award in 2000, the first hockey coach to do so
Gurdial Singh Bhangu, former India women’s hockey coach, has died at the age of 86 in Surrey, Canada. Hockey India announced his passing on Saturday. Sportstar reported that Bhangu breathed his last on Friday.
India hockey news: Hockey India mourns the loss of the coach who led the women's team to Commonwealth Games gold in 2002
Hockey India mourned the loss of the coach who led the women’s team to Commonwealth Games gold in 2002. Bhangu took charge of the Indian women’s hockey team in 1998 after India finished 12th in the World Cup.
Why it matters
Bhangu guided India to Asian Games silver in 1998 and gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. India beat England 3-2 in the final, with Mamta Kharab scoring the golden goal in extra time. He was the first hockey coach to receive the Dronacharya Award in 2000.
Context
Bhangu was born in Lyallpur, now Faisalabad in Pakistan, on October 3, 1941. He grew up in Ambala and played university-level hockey before joining the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, in 1965, where he worked under hockey legend Dhyan Chand.
He was also chief coach of the Nigerian women’s team from 1972 to 1976, helping them qualify for their first World Cup in 1976.
The 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning run inspired director Shimit Amin to make the Bollywood movie Chak De India a few years later. The protagonist Kabir Khan was reportedly based on Mir Ranjan Negi, who served as India’s women’s goalkeeping coach during the 2002 CWG.
What happens next
No fixture or decision follows this obituary. Hockey India has not announced any memorial or tribute match.
By the numbers
86: age at death; 1998: year he became India women’s head coach; 2002: year of Commonwealth Games gold; 3-2: final score against England; 1: first hockey coach to receive the Dronacharya Award
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