The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Parduman Singh dead

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Friday, Mar 23, 2007
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Parduman Singh dead

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Former Asian Games shot put and discus champion Parduman Singh passed away at Bathinda, Punjab, on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 79.

A towering athlete in his days, Parduman won the shot put and discus gold medals in the 1954 Asian Games in Manila and followed it up in the next edition of the Games in Tokyo in 1958 with the shot put gold (with a record of 15.04m) and the discus silver. He added the discus silver in the Jakarta Games in 1962.

"It is an irreparable loss to Indian athletics," said Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, who was instrumental in getting the medal-winners' pension for Parduman at a time when he was ailing in the 90s. "We used to address him as `dada'. He was an idol for the younger athletes during our days," Randhawa recalled.

"He was one of the finest athletes ever produced by India," said the former National coach, J. S. Saini, talking from Patiala.

"Parduman was a gentleman on and off the field."

Gutsy competitor

Mr. Saini recalled the guts and determination of Parduman at the Jakarta Asian Games in 1962 when, two days before the discus final, he was accidentally hit on the jaw by Joginder (who was to win two Asian Games titles in shot put later) with the discus at a training session.

"Parduman still won the silver with a broken jaw," Mr. Saini remembered.

Winning his first National title in shot put in Madras in 1958, Parduman went on to remain undefeated in the event in the National for a decade. He also took the National discus titles in 1954, 1958 and 1959. He also represented the country in the 1954 and 1958 Commonwealth Games.

Born at Bhagta Bhai, Bathinda, on October 15, 1927, Parduman retired as Honorary Captain from the Army in 1972. He has been keeping indifferent health since 1999, the year in which he was conferred, rather belatedly, the Arjuna Award for `lifetime contribution.'

"It will be difficult to fill the void created by the death of Parduman Singh," said Pargat Singh, Punjab Sports Director, in a condolence message from Chandigarh.

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