Jugraj Singh

Full Description: Jugraj Singh, born on April 22, 1983, is a former Indian field hockey player whose career was tragically cut short by a car accident in 2003. Hailing from Punjab and born into a Sikh family, Jugraj Singh, a former Punjab policeman, was renowned as a self-taught drag-flicker defender who later transitioned into coaching. He honed his skills at the Surjeet Singh Hockey Academy in Jalandhar and the Air India Hockey Academy in Delhi. Playing as a left fullback for the Punjab Police team in Jalandhar, Singh marked his international debut in the 2001 under-18 Asia Cup held in Ipoh. Athleticism ran in Singh's family; his aunt, Rajbeer Kaur Rai, was a former India captain and an Arjuna Award recipient, while his brother-in-law, Gurmail Singh, was a member of the 1980 Olympic team. Singh played a pivotal role in elevating Indian field hockey to new heights, contributing to significant victories including the Junior World Cup, the 2003 Indo-Pak Champions Trophy, and the Asian Championship. Singh's exceptional performance led many experts to liken him to the legendary Sohail Abbas. In a memorable series against Pakistan, his standout displays prompted Abbas himself to acknowledge a resemblance to his younger self in Singh.