Biography of Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand
By Niket Bhushan, Wiley Eastern Ltd., 1992
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Dhyan and Roop Singh | Once Roop Singh injured a spectator
with a powerful hit. Dhyan Chand immediately sent him off the field, saying,
"The public comes to see the match, not to get hurt."
During a match in the Wellington Cup in Madras, Roop Singh was playing on both the flanks. Dhyan Chand told the other player Shiv Narain to sit down since Roop was playing his position also. Roop Singh got the message and stuck to his position only. |
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ontrary to
widespread opinion, Dhyan Chand never taught hockey to Roop Singh, whose hockey
lessons were self-taught and learnt at Jhansi. It was only after a long time
that Dhyan Chand and Roop Singh played together.
Whenever Dhyan Chand talked about the game, Roop used to come and listen. Dhyan Chand used to correct Roop Singh's game when they played together. Roop Singh used to say that Dhyan Chand was a 'hockey ka devataa'
Once in a match, Roop Singh injured a spectator with a powerful hit. Dhyan Chand immediately asked Roop Singh to leave the field. "The public comes to see the match, not to get hurt," he said. Dhyan Chand felt that if hockey was played in the right spirit, it would not lead to dangerous situations.
In the 1930s, during a match in the Wellington Cup in Madras, Roop Singh was playing on both the flanks. Dhyan Chand told the other player Shiv Narain to sit down since Roop was playing his position also. Roop Singh got the message and stuck to his position only.
Roop Singh had a habit of hitting the ball very hard, which Dhyan Chand did not like. He used to pass messages to him through other players, and in turn, get back messages through them from Roop.
Dhyan Chand felt that Roop Singh was an outstanding left-in, and that the world had not seen till that time a better player. A fine sprinter and a great dribbler, Roop Singh was devastating inside the circle. During all his tours, he took the short corners, and succeeded in converting many times.
Dhyan Chand was deeply attached to his family. If anyone told him that his brother Roop Singh was a better hockey player, Dhyan Chand would say, "There is no doubt about this. I am nowhere near him." Dhyan Chand said many times that Roop Singh was indeed a better player as he could score from angles and positions that he could not.
The Hockey Twins - Dhyan Chand (left) and Roop Singh