"We need efforts to restore the glory of the Indian hockey. We need to respect a hockey player, look to become the best hockey team once again. It will take a lot of effort from all of us," said Gen Singh on the sidelines of the launch of an autobiography titled 'Sansarpur to London Olympics' by 1968 Mexico Olympic medallist Col. (retd.) Balbir Singh.
"I have been a hockey lover and I would like to see the game regain its past glory," the Army chief added.
Talking about the book, Gen Singh said: "This book is about Hockey, a game that was once called a national game. We can relive the glory of hockey through this book."
'Sansarpur to London Olympics', co-authored by sports film maker Sunil Yash Kalra, is a unique book of personal memoir, with interesting compilation of stories, funny anecdotes, sensational revelations and heart-warming vignettes of Balbir's life in the Army and as a hockey player and coach.
"My autobiography, is a sincere attempt to chronicle my life, on and off the field. Aided by newspaper clips, official letters and formal exchanges for over half a century, this humble effort is aimed at hockey aficionados on various landmarks of Indian hockey, in past six decades," Balbir said.
"I have seen many ups and down in my life and I have been fortunate to continuously be a part of various historic events in the past six decades of Indian hockey and now the time is right to share it in exact entirety. I wanted to bring the brutal truths in the open," added Balbir, who hails from Sansarpur, a village that has produced 14 Olympic medallists.
The book has been launched in a digital format and the e-version has been priced at Rs 95 and will be available exclusively on handygo technologies RockASAP.Com.
It will be the first ever sports book in the country to be launched as an E-Book which will not only be available on all Smartphones and Tablets but also on all GPRS enabled mobile handsets.