Hawa Singh

From Jatland Wiki

Hawa Singh ,one of the most lasting heavyweights of the country,gave boxing a new dimension during his years with Services, first as a boxer and later as coach. He was still actively associated with the sport at the national level, when he suddenly died at Bhiwani on 14th Aug 2000. The end came just 15 days before he was to receive the Dronacharya Award from the President of India. The award was received by his wife, Anguri Devi

Born on 16th Dec 1937 at 'Umarwas' village in Bhiwani district of Haryana, boxing for Hawa Singh has become a family game with son Sanjay Kumar also wearing national colours and claiming a silver in the Asian Junior Championships held in Bangkok. Hawa Singh however was not known for his many triumphs at the national level, or the number of boxers he has trained. Nor for that matter the long list of coaches whose knowledge he has updated.

He was known both in India and in Asia as the man who not only won the Asian Games heavyweight title but also the man who went on to retain it in the next edition of the Games, On both occasions he was the king of the ring as it were, brooking no opposition. He was a clear master, superior in the field in every respect. Those two Gold Medals have made him a legend in Indian boxing. No other boxer has achieved what he has. The two victories, first in the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1966 and the second, also in Bangkok, but in 1970 gave Indian boxing a much needed shot in the arm. But for some out of ring aberrations, India would have maintained its hold on the heavyweight title even in the Teheran edition of the Asian Games in 1974, Unfortunately the Indian representative, despite knocking down his Iranian opponent, was denied the gold by the referee in a charged atmosphere. Hawa Singh would have been indeed happy if Bura, the tall giant boxer, had won the gold he richly deserved.

The two gold medals in the Asian Games apart, Hawa Singh wrote many a glorious chapter in the history of Indian boxing. He has, arguably, the record for winning his weight category in the Services and the Nationals for as long as 11 years (1961 to 1972), a very long reign. No other boxer has been as constant a figure at the top in the Nationals or for that matter, the Services, as Hawa Singh. Enrolling into the 3rd Guards of the Indian Army in 1956, he went through the championships at all levels before winning Western Command title in 1960, He defeated the then champion Mohabbat Singh in the final. From next year onwards and till 1972, he was the un- disputed king of the heavyweight in India. He would have been an automatic choice for the 1962 Asian Games but for the border problem with China. He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1966 and won the best Sportsman Trophy from the Chief of the Army staff in 1968.

Reference

http://sportal.nic.in

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