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Harbinder Singh (Hockey Player) Biography: Age, Career, Family and Ach

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 July 1943

Age80 Years

BirthplaceQuetta, Pakistan

ProfessionFormer Field Hockey Player

NationalityIndian

FamilyBrother - Harjinder Singh Chimni

Harbinder Singh (Hockey Player) Biography

Harbinder Singh Chimni is a celebrated former Indian field hockey centre forward who represented India across three Olympic Games and several international

Early life and background
Harbinder Singh Chimni was born on 8 July 1943 in Quetta (now in Pakistan). His family moved to India following the partition. Raised in Punjab, he studied at Khalsa College in Amritsar and showed an early aptitude for sport, competing in hockey, athletics and football while at school. As a youth he represented Panjab University in athletics and ran in national-relay events, and he played at state and inter-university hockey tournaments in the early 1960s.

Career
Singh’s international career began in the early 1960s. He toured New Zealand and Australia with the Indian team in 1961 and was part of the squad that won a gold in an international tournament in Lyon in 1963. He made his Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Games and played a central role in India’s gold-medal performance, finishing as the team’s leading scorer in the final.

He went on to represent India at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and the 1972 Munich Olympics, helping the team secure bronze medals at both editions. At the 1968 Games he was noted for an outstanding scoring contribution, including a hat-trick against Mexico, and was named to a World XI as a centre forward.

Singh also had success at the Asian Games, winning gold in Bangkok in 1966, silver in Bangkok in 1970 as team captain, and contributing to other continental tournaments. During his playing career he amassed numerous medals in national and international competitions, with the record indicating dozens of podium finishes across events for state and railway teams.

He represented Punjab state and Indian Railways in national championships throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, winning multiple team medals. In addition to his playing achievements, Singh continued to contribute to the sport as a coach and administrator.

Post-playing career and coaching
After retiring from international play, Harbinder Singh moved into coaching and team management. He served as chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team at the 10th Asian Games in Seoul in 1986, guiding the side to a bronze medal. Between 1975 and 1993 he coached the Indian Railways hockey team, during which the side collected a number of gold and silver medals in national competitions.

Singh also held selection and administrative roles across Indian hockey. He served on junior selection panels for the Indian Hockey Federation across separate terms and spent time on women’s hockey selection committees. His committee work extended into Hockey India, where he has been involved with High Performance & Development, Disciplinary and Ethics committees, and served as chairman of the Masters Committee.

Public profile
Over his long association with Indian hockey, Singh has been recognized with several awards. He received the Railway Minister Award in 1966, the Arjuna Award in 1967 and the Best Sportsman of the Railways Award in 1972. Later honours include the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), and the Padma Shri in January 2024. He has been associated with Northern Railways during his professional career outside the national side.

Personal life
Harbinder Singh’s family includes a brother, Harjinder Singh Chimni, who also played hockey. Publicly available material does not provide confirmed details about his marital status or spouse. Physically, he has been listed at about 1.75 m (5 feet 9 inches) in height; his eyes are described as black and his hair as grey in later years. He practices Sikhism and is an Indian national.

Latest updates
In January 2024 Harbinder Singh was among those honored with the Padma Shri. Hockey India publicly congratulated him, noting his standing in Indian hockey history and his ongoing involvement with the sport.
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Recent Work

Chief coach, Indian Women’s Hockey Team at the 10th Asian Games (Seoul)

Led the team to a bronze medal at the 1986 Asian Games.

1986
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Career Highlights

  1. Gold medal with India at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (top scorer in the final)
  2. Bronze medals at the 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich Olympics
  3. Gold at the 1966 Asian Games and silver as captain at the 1970 Asian Games
  4. Arjuna Award (1967) and Padma Shri (January 2024)
  5. Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Harbinder Singh (Hockey Player) born?

8 July 1943

What is Harbinder Singh (Hockey Player) known for?

Former Field Hockey Player