Hockey
India's formerly oldest living Olympian Keshav Datt no more
A two-time Olympic gold medallist hockey player Keshav Datt breathed his last due to age-related complications on Tuesday night.
Keshav Datt
A two-time Olympic gold medallist and India's oldest living Olympian Keshav Datt breathed his last due to age-related complications in the early hours of Wednesday.
Considered to be one of the greatest right-backs during his playing days, Datt was a vital cog in the wheel during the Indian hockey team's gold medal wins at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.
Born in the year 1925 in Lahore, which was then a part of India, Keshav Datt decided not to move back to his home city after the partition at the request of his parents. Instead, he made Kolkata his home.
Other than India, Datt plied his trade for the prestigious Mohun Bagan club in Kolkata.
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, took to her Twitter handle to offer her condolences to the family and friends of Keshav Datt.
"The world of hockey lost one of its true legends today. Saddened at the passing away of Keshav Datt. He was a double Olympic gold winner, 1948 and 1952. A champion of India and Bengal. Condolences to his family and friends," she tweeted.
Datt was 95-year-old and is survived by his two sons and daughter. He was mentored by the wizard of hockey Major Dhyanchand and KD Singh Babu. He was conferred with the Mohun Bagan Ratna award in the year 2019 for his immense contributions to the club.
