Mumbai, July 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Keshav Chandra Datt, the double Olympian who passed away in Kolkata in the night of Tuesday and Wednesday, was a "great player but more than that a great human being," remembers former India hockey skipper Gurbux Singh.
A legendary figure in Indian hockey and on the maidans of Calcutta (now Kolkata), Datt was 95 and reportedly unwell for several years.
"When we were growing up, Keshav, [Leslie] Claudius, Balbir Singh (Senior), [Randhir Singh] Gentle, KD Singh Babu were the big names in Indian hockey -- members of the teams that played in 1948, 1952, and 1956 Olympics. They were our heroes. We used to look up to them and follow their exploits," Singh told IANS on Wednesday.
"Keshav was not only an idol for me but also my mentor. I watched him, Claudius and Jaswant Rajput, all Olympians, and learned from them. But more than being a great hockey player, he was a great human being, very humble and soft-spoken, always ready to help people," he said.
Born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, in 1925, Datt came to Kolkata in 1950 for employment and settled there. He represented Mohun Bagan Athletic Club at the local and national levels.
Datt was an ambassador of the sport in the golden era of Indian hockey when skills mattered more than physical fitness. He was the top attacking centre-back in the country -- from the late 1940s till 1956 -- at a time when competition for places in the Indian national team was very intense and one had to be at his best in that position to make the grade.
"He was a great centre-back -- tall and well-built and very clean and straightforward. You don't get to see such players nowadays," said Singh, who had seen him from close quarters.
Datt was a member of the Indian teams that won the gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games at London -- beating Great Briton 4-0 in the final -- and the 1952 edition in Helsinki, in which India defeated the Netherlands 6-1 in the final.
What many people don't know is that Datt could have won his third gold Olympic gold medal in the 1956 Games in Melbourne. But he had to withdraw because he did not get leave from his employer.
"He should have been there at the 1956 Olympics -- he was selected in the team but could not get leave from his employer," said Singh, who moved to Kolkata from Meerut and was fortunate to not only watch Datt in action but also played against him during his stint with East Bengal and Calcutta Customs.
"He was my mentor and had a nice way of explaining things, in detail and very patiently. He was part of the selection committee that picked me for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo," said Singh.
Datt was living alone in Kolkata for many years as all his family members have settled in Europe, informed Singh.
Members of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow -- Merwyn Fernandes and MM Somaya -- also paid tributes to the gentleman-player from the golden era of Indian hockey.
"I remember meeting Mr. Leslie Claudius and Mr. Keshav Datt in Kolkata years ago during the Beighton Cup. It was so pleasant to hear them speak about their heydays," said Fernandes.
Source: IANS
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