The flood in Punjab has claimed the livelihood of many. But as the floodwater recedes, stories of courage will surface.
These floods in Punjab disclosed many eminent personalities working tirelessly for their people. Among them reside the names of international hockey players, including two world-renowned best drag-flickers and a versatile forward, who went all out for the rescue mission.
Two-time Olympian Rupinder Pal Singh has donned India colours 223 times. He holds the Assistant Commissioner (Under-Training) position, as well as being designated as the field officer of the Chief Minister.Singh was assigned the herculean duty of rescuing residents of seven villages harmed by the Ravi’s rage. This was in addition to overseeing rescue efforts across other areas of the Dinanagar subdivision. Among all regions in Gurdaspur district, Dinanagar was officially the hardest hit.
He led a team of officials and made Makoran Pattan hamlet their base, an area surrounded by water on all four sides. Still, he went ahead. He helped rescue at least 1,500 people from nearby villages. The IAF, army choppers and NDRF supported the mission. Gurdaspur DC Dalwinderjit Singh stood by him, guiding every step.
When the task was done, he felt like a man who had beaten impossible odds. His proudest moment had once been scoring the decisive penalty stroke in the bronze medal match against Germany at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, he admits, rescuing starving villagers from waterlogged homes gave him even greater joy. In Tokyo, he had put India on a pedestal. Here, in Dinanagar, the villagers put him on one.
London Olympian DSP Gurwinder Singh Chandi was tasked with saving and rehabilitating the historic town of Kalanaur. He and his team even ferried a bride and her family by boat from Shalle Chak village to a marriage palace in Kalanaur. On their return, Chandi spotted a man writhing in pain after a snake bite near Kotla Mughlan village. He was rushed to the nearest relief camp without delay.
“Champions are made by how they endure setbacks,” Chandi remarked.
The unshakeable Jugraj Singh — broad-shouldered, commanding, and a drag-flicker par excellence, much like Rupinder Pal. Serving as an SP, he worked tirelessly in villages where the threat to human lives and livestock was at its peak. He not only led rescue efforts but also kept starving villagers from fighting over ration packets.
Jugraj’s brilliant hockey career was tragically cut short by a car accident in 2003, but his courage never dimmed. These hockey warriors have once again proven themselves true sons of the soil, risking their own lives to save hundreds of others.
