MOHALI: The Punjab government declared on Tuesday that the Mohali International Hockey Stadium, Sector 63, would be renamed after triple Olympian and Padma Shri Balbir Singh Sr. The stadium will now be known as Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium.
The decision comes a year after the proposal got in-principal approval from the state government.
“Due to certain circumstances, the project got delayed. We had decided last year to dedicate this stadium to Balbir Singh Sr. His contribution towards promoting hockey is immense and unmatchable,” Tribune India quotes Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who formally made the announcement on the first death anniversary of the legendary hockey player and coach, as having said.
Sodhi also said a statue of Balbir Singh Sr would be built at the stadium to inspire young players. “It will be installed at the stadium entrance,” he told the daily.
The minister also announced that a scholarship scheme in the legend’s name would be started for meritorious hockey players of the state.
