Biography of Shankar Laxman
Former Indian hockey player Charles Cornelius once said about him, “Lakshman is among the greatest in the game. He is an example of courage and a role model for others of his ilk. Irrespective of any situation, Shankar Lakshman has the ability to solve any problem.
His teammates weren’t sure how his pads got bigger as the competition progressed. Shankar Lakshman, an Indian hockey player was born on the 7th of July in the year 1933.
Early life
Shankar was born on 7 July 1933 in Mhow, a small cantonment town in Indore district of Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, he was a native of Shekhawat village of Rajasthan. Shankar started his playing career as a bowler.
He is the captain of the Kodaria and Mhow football teams. He joined the Indian Army as a musician in 1947. He served in the 5th Maratha Light Infantry Battalion
Military life from hockey
The strong Indian goalkeeper was born on July 7, 1933 in Mhow, Indore district, Malwa region, Madhya Pradesh. He hails from Shekhawat town in Rajasthan. At the beginning of his career, he chose football as a sport. But life has other plans for him. Right after completing high school, he joined the Indian Army.
It was immediately after joining the army that Shankar turned to hockey, which defined his entire sports career. Shankar started his hockey career in 1955 as a professional goaltender. With his brilliant athleticism and impeccable tackling, he earned praise for his fearless goalkeeping.
How strong the goalkeeper was at that time, it can be understood that at that time the goalkeepers only had a pad as a defense against the brutal ball.
With such goalkeeping skills, Shankar has won praise wherever he has played. Soon, he was called up for the national team. It was his impressive home run that earned him a place in the team to represent the country and the world. With his participation, Lakshman’s road to Olympic glory began.
Military life from hockey
Being trained by Sardar Harbail Singh and Air Commander O.P. Mehra, India is looking to secure another gold medal. Group leader Balbir Singh Sr. suffered a fractured right hand during the competition, but the two-time Olympic gold medalist set an example by dancing through pain relief and in doing so, won her third and only gold India’s medal at the 1956 Olympics. at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) show.
The final was played between rivals India and Pakistan, where Shankar kept a goal, the only goal from Randhir Singh Gentle, defeated Pakistan 1-0 and India won their 6th medal in field hockey in a row, here praising Lakshman for his greatness. save against Pakistan ahead
1960 Olympics
Led by Anglo-Indian specialist Leslie Walter Claudius, on the way to their seventh gold medal in a row, the team is brimming with a rare mix of youth and experience. strong in defense while legendary goalkeeper Shankar Lakshman pulled off impressive figures. Lakshman in the 1960 Olympics against Pakistan
Again, the last match between India and Pakistan, it became famous as Pakistan took the lead in the 11th minute due to a goal from inside left Naseer Bunda, Hamidi right handed the ball to Nur Alam, right . -out, who was on fire and hit the ball with a low speed to the ever-knowing Bunda who dropped the ball to the left of the net, which a keeper of Lakshman’s caliber could not stop, India won 1- 0 thus dethroning them as the kings of hockey, much to the chagrin of fans back home
1964 Olympics
An echo of the 1960 Olympic victory could be heard in Tokyo, where the Indian hockey team was not expected to win, at least according to the Indian media who were skeptical that the medal would be salvaged. gold due to rising Pakistan.
Led by Inder Mohan Mahajan and captained by Charanjit Singh, the Indian team defeated Belgium 2-0, in their first match. India met Pakistan again in the final, where India beat Pakistan 1-0. Shankar was left as a sportsman for his guard
The world’s first goalkeeper caption
Shankar Laxman’s career path was changed forever by his contribution to goalkeeping. He was selected for the brigade team in the hockey division in 1954, and given command the following year. Laxman’s selection for the elite team at the International Hockey Festival in Warsaw (Poland) in 1955 was a turning point in Laxman’s career.
Midas Laxman’s touch on Indian hockey continued unabated for a decade. Shankar Laxman has played in three Olympics, two of which he won without conceding a single goal. Praise and glory abound for his achievements. The International Olympic Committee awarded him the diploma of the best goalkeeper in the world after the 1956 and 1964 games.
Shankar Laxman’s achievements are unique and unparalleled. He is the world’s first top scorer at the time when the top scorer’s record was set. He was not given a title even when he competed in his third Olympic Games (1964), but his heroism there changed people’s attitudes; two years later, he led India to its first gold medal at the Asian Games in Bangkok. India had to wait another 32 years to achieve that feat.
Three Olympic championships (1956, 1960 and 1964) were won against opposing teams, but only one goal was conceded. Likewise, only two goals have been conceded in three Asian Games finals (no finals in 1958, but only title wins in 1962 and 1966). Six matches against Pakistan, but Laxman conceded only three goals.
