Baldev Singh Padma Shri: President Murmu To Confer Prestigious Award On Legendary Hockey Coach

Baldev Singh, aged 75, will receive the Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu on May 25. Officials said on May 20, a Wednesday, that the award recognises decades of work in Indian hockey. Singh has shaped players and systems rather than seeking limelight, yet the influence on national teams is deep.

Singh turned Shahabad Markanda, a small town on NH44, into a steady source of elite hockey players. The Haryana Sports Department first posted Singh there as coach in 1982 for four years. Singh returned in 1993 and developed the local hockey nursery into one of "the most productive centres for hockey talent", according to officials.

Baldev Singh Padma Shri and academy impact on Indian hockey

Under Singh, the Shahabad academy became a key hub for the sport in Haryana and beyond. The setup consistently produced international players and leaders for Indian squads. Singh mentored more than 80 internationals and eight captains for India. The work blended strict technical coaching with a structured environment, giving young players steady exposure to high-level hockey.

Baldev Singh Padma Shri honour and national coaching roles

Singh’s growing reputation led to central roles in India’s coaching structure in the 1990s and 2000s. Singh was chief coach and selector of the junior men’s team in 1993. Singh later became assistant coach of the Indian side that claimed the Champions Trophy in Madras in 1996. Singh then moved up as chief coach of the senior national team.

From 2001 to 2004, Singh served as coach of the Indian men’s team. The stint covered major events, including the Champions Trophy in Amstelveen, Netherlands. India also secured a gold medal at the Asia Cup in 2004 under Singh’s guidance. These results underlined how work at Shahabad Markanda fed directly into international performance.

Singh’s engagement with Indian hockey has continued across institutions for more than four decades. Singh has worked as hockey coach at Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, and at Khalsa College, Amritsar. Singh also served as a core member of the Olympic Task Force set up by the Centre to plan for the 2020 Tokyo, 2024 Paris and 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, reinforcing a long association with the sport’s national roadmap.