Hockey World Cup 1975, 50th anniversary: Meet the players who guided India to its first WC win

Five decades ago, India lifted its only Hockey World Cup title. After a topsy-turvy tournament, the Ajit Pal Singh-led Indian team scripted history, notching up a thrilling 2-1 win over arch-rival Pakistan on March 15 at the Merdeka Football Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Here are the members of the Indian men’s hockey team that won the country’s first and only World Cup title:

Ajit Pal Singh (Captain):

Ajit Pal Singh, captain of 1975 hockey World Cup winning team, unveiling the trophy of 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.
| Photo Credit:
SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

Ajit Pal Singh, a Padma Shri awardee, guided the team to the World Cup title in Kuala Lumpur in 1975.

He played as a halfback and also won two Olympic bronze medals (1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich) and two Asian Games silver.

Ashok Kumar

Ashok Kumar, the son of Indian field hockey legend Dhyan Chand.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives

Ashok Kumar, the son of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, scored the winning goal against Pakistan which led to the team’s victory in the 1975 World Cup.

He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1974, and the Yash Bharti by the UP government in 2013. In 2024, he was awarded the Hockey India Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award.

Leslie Fernandez

Former Indian Hockey goal-keeper Leslie Fernandez.
| Photo Credit:
RAJARATHINAM RM

Leslie Fernandez served as a goalkeeper in the Indian hockey team, which won the gold medal in the 1975 World Cup.

According to reports, he blocked Pakistan’s attempt to score the winning goal in the final minutes of the game, thereby helping India win its sole World Cup title.

Ashok Diwan

India’s 1975 Hockey World Cup-winning goalkeeper Ashok Diwan.
| Photo Credit:
SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Ashok Diwan was one of the younger members of the 1975 World Cup team and was also a part of the 1976 Olympics team.

He is one of the three athletes who received the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games in its inaugural year in 2002.

Surjit Singh

Indian hockey player Surjit Singh in New Delhi. (Circa 1984)
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Surjit Singh made his India debut in the 1973 Hockey World Cup in Amsterdam, where the team came second and was the first Indian to score in the 1975 edition.

He died in a car accident in 1984 after retiring from the sport and was awarded the Arjuna Award posthumously in 1998. 

Michael Kindo

Indian hockey player Michael Kindo strikes a pose. (circa 1972)
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Michael Kindo was a full-back defender in the Indian team and competed in the 1971 Men’s Hockey World Cup, 1972 Summer Olympics, 1973 Men’s Hockey World Cup, 1974 Asian Games, and 1975 Men’s Hockey World Cup.

In 1972, he became the first Adivasi athlete to receive the Arjuna Award. He passed away on December 31, 2020.

Aslam Sher Khan

Indian hockey player Aslam Sher Khan.
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Aslam Sher Khan is best known for the penalty corner conversion in the final minutes of the 1975 World Cup semifinal against Malaysia. Before this, he also took part in the 1972 Munich Olympics. He played the fullback position.

He was selected as the head of a committee by the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) to organize hockey in India after the suspension of the Indian Hockey Federation in 2008.

Varinder Singh

Varinder Singh in action. (File Photo)
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Varinder Singh was a part of the medal-winning Indian side at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the 1973 World Cup and the 1975 World Cup. He received the Dhyan Chand Award in 2007 and moved to coaching after retirement.

He passed away on June 28, 2022.

Onkar Singh

Profile Shoot of Onkar Singh who was a member of the 1975 World Cup – hockey winning team.
| Photo Credit:
PRASHANT WAYDANDE

Onkar Singh, who was one of the younger members of the 1975 World Cup team, played in the half-back position.

He was part of the starting XI in the World Cup only briefly in a match against Ghana, which resulted in a 7-0 win for the Indian side.

Mohinder Singh

Photo shows the victorious hockey team members after winning the Hockey World Cup 1975 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The players are Mohinder, Balbir, Leslie Fernandez, Ajit Pal Singh and Surjit Man. (Circa 1975)
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Mohinder Singh scored four goals in the 1975 edition of the World Cup. He also competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics and 1970 Asian Games, where he did not feature in any matches.

He died at the age of 26 on September 20, 1977, following a short illness.

B. P. Govinda

B.P. Govinda in action.
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

B. P. Govinda played as a forward and was a former captain of the Indian team.

Apart from the 1975 World Cup, he represented India in the silver-winning Asian Games teams of 1970, 1974, and 1978, the bronze-winning 1972 Munich Olympic squad, and the silver-winning 1973 Amsterdam World Cup squad.

He went on to take up the role of the selector for the national hockey team.

Harcharan Singh

Harcharan Singh, former Hockey player addressing during the Punjab Sportstar Conclave at Chandigarh.
| Photo Credit:
MOORTHY RV

Retired Brigadier Harcharan Singh, an attacking left-winger, was a part of the 1975 Indian Hockey World Cup-winning squad. He was honoured with the Sportstar Hero Unsung Champion award at the Focus Punjab Sportstar Conclave in 2024.

Harcharan’s standout moment came in the World Cup semifinal against Malaysia, where he scored the crucial winner in extra time, turning the tide in India’s favour after trailing 1-2.

Harjinder Singh

Harjinder Singh played as a centre forward during the 1975 World Cup.

Victor Philips

Victor Philips led the Indian team during the 1978 World Cup and was a member of the side that won its 1975 edition. He was also a part of the bronze medal-winning squad at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

The Government of India awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 for his contribution to hockey. 

Shivaji Pawar

Pakistan’s Manzoorul Hassan rush out to clear off the Indian’s Shivaji Pawar’s attempt in the 3rd World Cup Hockey final in Kuala Lumpur on March 15, 1975. India won 2-1.
| Photo Credit:
THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Shivaji Pawar, a centre-forward was a part of the 1975 World Cup-winning side for India. He scored two goals in the tournament.

P. E. Kalaiah

P. E. Kalaiah made the headlines when he was part of a combined University hockey team of 1971, which toured Germany and Holland. He became the president of Hockey Coorg in 2015.