Jaipal Singh or Jaipal Singh Munda was a man belonged from Munda Tribe. He was a wonderful Field Hockey player. He did the captaincy of Indian National Hockey Team and led the team to win the 1928 Summer Olympic Gold Medal. He is well praised for his sportsmanship and political skills. Besides sports, he later emerged as a sole leader of Adivasis for their betterment in Indian society. Jaipal Singh Munda`s fight led to the creation of a separate home land for adivasis of Central India.
Early Life of Jaipal Singh
He was born on 3rd January in the year 1903 in the royal family of Khooty state, now in the newly formed Jharkhand state. While studying in St. Paul School at Ranchi, Jaipal Singh started playing hockey. With immense sense of leadership, he soon explicated into a good hockey player. He went to England, after finishing his school education for further study. England was the place where the skills and techniques of Jaipal Singh shaped up and he managed to earn a name for him in the English hockey circle. In England, he played hockey and became an important member of the Oxford University team. The hallmarks of his game as a deep defender were mainly his clean tackling, sensible game play and well directed hard hits. He also captained the Indian national Hockey Team to fetch gold in the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam.
Career of Jaipal Singh
In the year 1928 it was quiet difficult for the independent India to take part in the field of sports in an international domain. In the Olympic Games held in 1928, when all the barriers were absolved and stage was set for India`s maiden involvement, Jaipal was chosen as a captain to lead the team on this grand occasion. At that time, he was in England and asked to join the team directly there. Anterior to its final show down, Indian team played as many as 17 matches in England, Holland, Germany and Belgium. 16 of them were won by the Indian Team and drew another. A total of 135 goals and conceded just 19 were scored by the team.
On May 17, 1928, India took on Austria to make its historical debut in the Olympic Games. In the opening, the team came forth exultant 6-0 tie and then defeated Belgium 9-0, Denmark 5-0 and Switzerland 6-0 to make the final against Holland. India won the battle by 3-0 and won the gold medal. But it was so unfortunate for who led the team with dignity, Jaipal Singh, was not the part of the team in this splendid victory. Following altercate with the English manager AB Rosser; he had left the team after the league phase. In his absence, Vice Captain Eric Penninger led the team.
After his retirement from the active hockey, he served as a secretary of Bengal Hockey Association and as a member of Indian Sports Council.
He formed Adivasi Mahasabha in 1938 and he himself became its President. After independence of India, the name of the party was changed to Jharkhand Party to accommodate non-tribal people to achieve long term goals. He is popularly known as "Marang Gomke" which means the Great Leader. The name was given to him by the tribal people of Chotanagpur region.
He died on March 20, 1970 in Delhi. His name will remain in the hearts of the hockey lovers of this country.
