The Indian men's hockey team has clinched eight Olympic gold medals, and their sole World Cup victory in Kuala Lumpur in 1975 is celebrated as one of the standout moments in Indian sports history.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of that incredible achievement, a significant emotional milestone after they narrowly missed out in the two previous tournaments—securing bronze in 1971 and finishing as runners-up in 1973. The book "March of Glory," authored by hockey journalist Errol D’Cruz and veteran chronicler K Arumugam, vividly recounts the thrilling events surrounding that victory in Kuala Lumpur half a century ago.

The narrative follows Ajit Pal Singh and his determined teammates as they battled fiercely to claim the top spot in the Malaysian capital. After facing a shocking loss to Argentina that nearly knocked them out, and a tense semi-final against the host nation, India managed to turn their fortunes around and reached the final against their long-time rivals, Pakistan.

In this final, India came from behind to secure the coveted trophy, wiping away the disappointment of losing to the Netherlands in the final two years prior.

An excerpt from Chapter 18 captures a time when Indian hockey symbolized the nation’s sporting dreams and the camaraderie among the players and their supporters:

“A knock on the door stirred Ashok Kumar, who shared a room with Kalaiah, at 6:30 am on the day of the final. It was Balbir and Bodhi, accompanied by a Malaysian gentleman of Indian descent. He pulled out some yellow cloth from a bag and handed it to Ashok, saying, ‘Please tuck these into your shirt pockets for today’s game.’

“We did just that,” Ashok recalls, “I’m not sure if it made a difference, but I also poured some holy oil for Shanidevta (a Hindu deity) in the room and prayed for victory in the final.”

While Ashok hoped for some divine support, he was determined to secure the World Cup through hard work, reflecting on the strategy he and Govinda had devised the night before.

The team gathered in the hotel lobby, ready to head to the final. Would they come back celebrating, or would it be another disappointing repeat of Amsterdam?

Manager Balbir Sr opened an envelope and read a letter addressed to the team.

It was short and sweet: “You are second to none!”

And who signed it? None other than MP Ganesh, the captain of the 1973 World Cup team that nearly clinched the trophy in Amsterdam!

At that time, Ganesh was playing club hockey in Italy with Levante Insurance HC in Torre del Greco, Napoli, but he kept up with the World Cup as best he could. “I didn’t know the team’s address, so I sent it to The Indian Hockey Team, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.”

With the media hyping up the World Cup and the public eagerly watching, the letter made its way to Balbir just in time for the final.

“I had already retired from international hockey,” Ganesh shared, “but I still had some unfinished business with India and the World Cup.”

Harcharan shares, “Those words really lifted our spirits. We still felt the sting of our loss in Amsterdam, and our former captain’s encouragement meant a lot as we headed to the stadium.

Things got even more exciting when we were warming up before the final.

Just as we were getting ready to hit the field, a woman named Mrs. Gill came into our dressing room. She pulled out a picture of the 10th Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singhji, and inspired us by saying, ‘Mere veero today keep the laaj of Guru Gobind Singh’ (my bravehearts, uphold the honor of Guru Gobind Singh). Her words and that moment really charged us up!

The book is filled with impactful photos, along with insights from players about our incredible journey and highlights from key matches. It also celebrates a hundred years of hockey administration in our country.

Read Also: Virat Kohli Opens Up on His Fiery Celebrations: ‘I Tend to Go Overboard’

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!