Balbir Singh Senior's condition "stabilising" but still on ventilator support: grandson

Chandigarh, May 16: Hockey legend Balbir Singh Senior didn't suffer any more cardiac arrest in the past few days and his condition "is stabilising" though he is still on ventilator support, his maternal grandson Kabir said on Saturday.

Giving an update of Balbir Senior's health condition, Kabir said his grandfather has not yet regained consciousness.

"No further cardiac events since last update. His condition is stabilizing, but continues to be on ventilator assistance. He still hasn't regained consciousness," Kabir said. "MRI brain done, results awaiting."

He said doctors at Fortis Hospital at Mohali were continuously assessing the hockey legend's health condition. The triple Olympic medallist had suffered a cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning and has been on ventilator support since then. He had suffered two more cardiac arrests on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Kabir had said, "Nana ji suffered two more cardiac arrests yesterday. His condition has not deteriorated since then but continues to be very critical and on ventilator assistance."

The 96-year-old was admitted to a private hospital with high fever in Mohali on May 8. In January last year, he was discharged from PGIMER, Chandigarh after spending 108 days in the hospital, where he underwent treatment for bronchial pneumonia.

One of the country's greatest athletes, Balbir Senior was the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history. His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men's hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten.

He had scored five goals in India's 6-1 victory over the Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Helsinki Games. He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1957. He was also the manager of India's World Cup-winning team in 1975.