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MEDAL WINNERS FROM INDIA

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 2/25/2021 11:55:33 AM

Sandeep Singh

Sandeep Singh (born 27 February 1986) is an Indian professional field hockey player from Haryana and an ex-captain of the Indian national hockey team. He generally features as a full back and is a penalty corner specialist for the team. He was famous as Flicker Singh in media. Singh holds a DSP rank in the Haryana Police. He has been elected as MLA in 2019 from Pehowa constituency in Kurukshetra, Haryana from Bharatiya Janata Party and has been sworn in as the Sports Minister of the Haryana. Early life Singh hails from Shahabad town in Kurukshetra, Haryana. He was educated at Shivalik Public School, Mohali. He was born to Gurucharan Singh Saini and Daljeet Kaur Saini. His elder brother, Bikramjeet Singh, is also a field hockey player and plays for Indian Oil. Career Sandeep's international debut was in January 2004 in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur. He took over as the captain of the Indian national team in January 2009, and Rajpal Singh succeeded him later in 2010. Singh is a well known drag-flicker. At a time he was said to have the best speed in the world in drag flick (speed 145 km/h). Under his captaincy, the Indian team managed to clinch the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2009 after defeating Malaysia in the finals at Ipoh. India won the title after a long wait of 13 years. Singh was also the top goal scorer of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament. The India men's national field hockey team have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London after a gap of 8 years. The team had a resounding victory over France in the finals of the Olympic qualifiers by beating France 9–1. Ace drag-flicker Singh starred in the final against France by scoring five goals – including a hat-trick – all from penalty corners (19th, 26th, 38th, 49th and 51st minutes). Singh was the highest scorer of the Olympic qualifiers tournament by scoring 16 goals. Club career Sandeep Singh became the fifth highestpaid marquee player at the inaugural Hockey India League as the Mumbai.