Mussoorie schools have produced 10 Olympic hockey gold medallists in the past

MUSSOORIE: As India begins its hockey campaign on Saturday at the

Tokyo Olympics 2021

, residents of Mussoorie will be cheering louder than the rest of the country for our players. The scenic hill town has a proud history of giving a number of Olympic gold-winning men’s hockey players to the country over the years.

As many as 10 Anglo-Indian players from the schools of this hill town have made it to multiple Olympics Games and also won gold. All of them played during the era when Indian hockey team was dominating the world stage, winning successive Olympic medals under the leadership of “The wizard” Major Dhyan Chand (1928 to 1936).

The 1928 (Amsterdam) team had six players, the 1932 (Los Angeles) team five players and the 1936 (Berlin) team had four players who had studied in Mussoorie. A student from St George’s even played for the bronze-winning team of Great Britain at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

“Mussoorie players dominated the national and international hockey during this golden era of India hockey,” said historian Gopal Bhardwaj.

The Patrician Brothers-run St George’s College (estd 1853) -- among the oldest schools of Mussoorie – nurtured seven champions, six of whom represented India while one played for England.

According to Brother Joseph M Joseph, principal of St George’s College, George Marthins (1928), Maurice A Gateley (1928), William James Goodsir Cullen (1928), Carlyle Carroll Tapsell (1932 and 1936), Ernest John Goodsir Cullen (1936) and Lionel C Emmett (1936) were alumnus of the school who were part of the gold-medal-winning Indian hockey teams.

“Mussoorieites cherish the moments when students from our schools brought successive Olympic golds for the country. We convey our best wishes to the current team and hope and pray that they bring the Olympic gold home,” said Brother Joseph.

Oak Grove School also has the honour of its alumni representing India at the Olympics -- Richard James Allen (1928 and 1936) Eric Pinniger (1928 and 1932), Leslie Charles Hammond (1928 and 1932) and Richard John Carr (1932).


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