Manmohan Singh: Hoopistani Indian Basketball Hall of Fame

Photo courtesy: punjabbasketball.org

A stalwart of Indian basketball in the early days of the 1960s and an Arjuna Awardee, Manmohan Singh - no relation to the former Prime Minister! - is today's addition to the Hoopistani Indian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Singh was born in May 1946 in Lahore and was brought over to India during the post-independence partition. Eventually settling in Ludhiana, Punjab, Singh played for Punjab and Services for his domestic career from 1960-1980. He especially starred for Services in their dominant run of the National Championship in the 60s.

He became a part of India's senior men's team in the mid 1960s and appeared for India in their first-ever appearance at the FIBA Asia Championship in Kuala Lumpur in 1965. His other major international appearances included the 1962 Pakistan tour, the 1967 Kuala Lumpur Tour, the 10th anniversary tournament in Manila in 1970, the FIBA ABC in Tokyo in 1971, and the Manila All Stars event in 1973.

Singh was honoured with the Arjuna Award in basketball by the Sports Ministry in 1971. In 2015, Singh was nominated as vice-chairperson of the Indian Basketball Players Association (IBPA).

Click here for more of the Indian Basketball Hall of Fame.