Raghbir Lal earned a Faculty of Sciences (F. Sc.) degree and, while pursuing his higher education, played on his university’s field hockey team. He was noticed for his prowess in 1951 and, a year later, was selected to help represent India in the field hockey tournament at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. There, the nation won all of its matches to take home the gold medal, with Lal playing in all three games. In 1954 he toured Malaya, while in 1955 he travelled to New Zealand to play his sport. His final stop was the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where India again earned gold by winning all of its matches; this time, Lal appeared in only two of the five games, including the final. Domestically, he captained the Punjab Police team, where he also worked as a Sub-Inspector for the force.
India