Raghbir Singh Bhola
Award Name : Arjuna Award
Year of Award : 2000
Award for : Sports and Games
Location : Multani Muhallah, Punjab, Pakistan
Raghbir Singh Bhola is an Indian field hockey player. He was born on Aug 21st 1927 in Multan, British India, Pakistan. Raghbir was selected as part of the Government Model High School Field Hockey team and won the Interschool XI Championship. Later he moved to New Delhi, for higher studies, where he represented D.A.V High School, Paharganj. After graduating from High School and being a bright student Raghbir did Electrical Engineering from the prestigious Delhi College of Engineering( now Delhi Technological University), where he also played hockey for the Brothers Club at the inter-collegiate level. After completing his Electrical Engineering from the prestigious Delhi College of Engineering, Raghbir Singh Bhola joined the Indian Air Force in Feb,1952. While undergoing training at the Air Force Technical College, Bangalore he was inducted into the Services Hockey team to play in the National Hockey Championship in March 1953. The Services team won the National Hockey Championship for the first time - this was beginning of Field Hockey career at the National Level.
From 1954 to 1960 Bhola captained the Indian Air Force Field Hockey and Services Hockey team and won the Inter Services Hockey Championship three times and the National Hockey Championship twice. In 1962 Raghbir Singh was selected by the Indian Air Force to undergo a two-year post graduation course in Electrical Engineering at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield University, UK which he completed successfully. In 2000 Bhola was awarded the Arjuna Award for life time achievements in Field Hockey.