Triple Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr hospitalised in Chandigarh in critical condition

Chandigarh: Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr, a triple Olympic gold medallist, has been admitted to a city hospital in critical condition.

File image of Balbir Singh Sr.

The 96-year-old was taken to a private hospital from his residence in Sector 36 in Chandigarh, where he lives with his daughter Sushbir and maternal grandson Kabir.

"Dadaji is in ICU right now at Fortis Hospital. He was admitted last evening with complaints of pneumonia. He is on ventilator but better than yesterday," grandson Kabir told PTI.

Dr Rajinder Kalra, doctor of 1975 World Cup winning side as well as family doctor:"Balbir had 104 degree fever on Thursday night. Initially, we tried to manage by giving him sponge baths at home but his conditions didn't improve we tried to shift him to PGI, Chandigarh.

"But since PGI Chandigarh is a COVID hospital, so it was difficult to get him admitted in ICU. So we admitted him in Fortis, Mohali where he as been 3-4 times before."

"He is currently in ICU but better than yesterday. His COVID-19 test went for examination today and the results are expected tomorrow," Kalra said.

In January last year, Balbir Sr was discharged from PGI after spending 108 days in the hospital, where he underwent treatment for bronchial pneumonia.

"It is an unparalleled achievement and credit to his grit that he could recover at the age of 95 from the scenario of bronchial pneumonia and near cardiac failure that he was initially admitted with," Prof. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER had then said when the former India captain was discharged.