Hockey India mourns the demise of former India junior men's player George Fernandez

NEW DELHI: Hockey India on Monday mourned the death of 67-year-old George Fernandez, former India junior men's player. He passed away on Sunday in Bengaluru due to COVID-related complications.

The Retd. Assistant Customs Commissioner (Karnataka) represented the Indian junior team in 1975 playing at the forward position. He also played for his home state Karnataka at the junior level in the year 1975-76.

Expressing Hockey India's condolences to George's family, President Gyanendro Ningombam said, "We at Hockey India are deeply saddened to learn about the untimely demise of George Fernandez, who represented our nation at the junior level. We extend our deepest condolences to his family in this moment of grief."

The last two-three days have been devastating for the hockey fraternity as they lost two former players on Saturday.

Sixty-two-year-old Ravinder Pal Singh, who was part of the Gold Medal-winning side at the 1980 Moscow Olympics passed away on Saturday in Lucknow due to COVID-related complications.

Also, 66-year-old MK Kaushik, who was a part of the same squad died on Saturday evening in Delhi due to covid-related complications.

Arjuna Awardee MK Kaushik had coached both men's and women's teams during the 1990s and 2000s. Under his coaching, the Indian men's hockey team won the gold medal in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and the Indian women's hockey team won a bronze medal at the Doha Asian Games in 2006.

He was also the assistant coach of the Indian Men's Hockey Team, who won the Asian Games Gold in 2014. For his contribution to Indian Hockey, he was also bestowed with the Dronacharya Award in 2002.