Balbir studied at Dev Samag High School, Moga; D M College & Khalsa College, Amritsar

He captained the famed Punjab Police Teams from 1941 until 1961.

Having played for Punjab University and Punjab Police, he emerged on the International scene at the Olympic Games in London in 1948.

This was India’s first Olympics as an independent country.

A centre forward known for his speed and body swerve he played an outstanding role in lifting India to its glory days.

Although he played only two matches, he scored 8 goals, including a hat-trick.

He scored two goals in the final against Great Britain.

He achieved a rare feat of scoring a goal on debut, and making a hat- trick.

At Helsinki in 1952 he scored 9 of the 13 goals.

He scored all 3 in the semi-final against Great Britain.

He scored 5 of the 6 in the final against Holland (and his third Olympic hat-trick).

At Melbourne, he was Captain of the team.

He scored 5 goals in the first half of the opening match against Afghanistan, when in the beginning of the second half he got his right hand ring finger badly fractured.

Substitution was not allowed in those days.

He did not play the remaining pool matches and was brought in for the semi-final and final simply to sell dummy to the opponents, as he was considered to be the most dangerous centre forward of the post war era.

India won the gold and Balbir his third consecutive gold medal and this time as a captain.

Balbir was flag bearer of Indian Olympic Contingent at Helsinki and Melbourne Olympic Games

Balbir lit the sacred flame at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.

He was awarded the Indian National Award, ‘Padma Shri’ in 1957. He was the first hockey player to receive this award.

Balbir was invited to be the Chief Guest at the Kennedy Memorial International Hockey Tournament in Wahington in 1974

He was also a honoured guest at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

In April 2005 Balbir was honoured by the Hockey Writers’ Club with Honorary Life Membership of the Club at a ceremony at Southgate Hockey Club in London.

An indoor stadium in Moga has been named after him.

Among the living legends, Balbir Singh stands like a monarch.

One of the best marksmen during his playing days, he is still admired and adored all over the world.

Lethal finishing was his forte and goals came in a stream from his matchless stick.

Balbir's three Olympic Gold Medals, won in London, Helsinki and Melbourne.

Balbir Singh published his second hockey book, The Golden Yardstick: In Quest of Hockey Excellence in June 2008.

Balbir Singh and Gurdev Singh of India feature in a hockey stamp issued by Dominican Republic in 1958.

Balbir Singh is on the right on the stamp image. Gurdev Singh is on the left.

• Balbir first wore the Indian colours in 1947 when he was selected for the team that toured Sri Lanka in 1947.
  
• He captained India to victory in Test series against Afghanistan in 1950 and against Singapore and Malaysia in 1954.
  
• He was a member of the team “Indian Wanderers” that played matches in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Sri Lanka in 1955.
  
• India won all their fifteen matches during their month long stay in Malaya, scoring 117 goals to 7 against. Balbir Singh scored 44 goals, averaging over three a match.
  
• As a Sikh, Balbir senior suffered from the partition of India in 1947.
  
• He was twice Indian champion with a then still unified Punjab team in 1946 and 1947 but after independence, Punjab and its hockey team were split between Pakistan and India.
  
• He played for Punjab team again to Indian Championship in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954.
  
• He captained Punjab, the National Champions in 1949.
  
• He captained Punjab University in the inter-varsity Championship in 1945.
  
• When hockey was introduced in the Asian Games in 1958 in Tokyo, Balbir led the country.
  
• When his active playing days were over, Balbir turned to coaching and Management of the National team.
  
• He was the manager of the team that won the Gold at the third Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1975, thus helping India win a Gold Medal in hockey after a gap of 11 years.
  
• He was the manager when India won Gold at the 1962 International Hockey Tournament in Ahmedabad; Silver at the 1970 Asian games in Bangkok; Bronze at the 1971 World Hockey Cup in Barcelona; Bronze at the 1982 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam, Silver at the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.
  
• He also managed the team at the Esanda World Cup in Melbourne in 1982.
  
• He was the Secretary of the Punjab State Sports Council and Director of Sport in the Punjab Government till his retirement in 1982. 
  
• Balbir Singh was chosen as the top Sikh Hockey Player of all time by a panel of judges in April 2006 in New Delhi.