Dalip Singh

Dalip Singh was a track and field athlete from Punjab who was the first Sikh to represent India at the Olympics. At school and university Singh was a good all-round athlete in sprinting and the long jump, and also played hockey and cricket. At the 1924 Paris Olympics he competed in the long jump, finishing 14th with a best effort of 6.635 metres. He was also scheduled to run in the 4 × 400 metres relay in Paris but the Indian team did not start the race. Four years later Singh finished a disappointing 37th in the long jump at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

Singh served in the Patiala Infantry during World War II and was awarded with the MBE for his services. After the war he had the honour of being the torch bearer at the inaugural edition of the Asian Games in 1951. His son Balkrishan had a distinguished career as a hockey player and coach.

Personal Best: LJ – 6.64 (1924).