Today Hockey Bengal commemorated the death Anniversary of the Jewel of Bengal and a Hockey Legend, Padmashree Leslie Walter Claudius and pay tributes in presence of the Mr. Istiyak Ali, Secretary General, Hockey Bengal, Mr. Khalid Hussain, Joint Secretary, Hockey Bengal, along will other Hockey Bengal officials, Ex- National Hockey players, Umpires, Coaches, Players of the Sub Junior, Junior, & Senior Women Hockey team etc at Red Road, Kolkata.
Leslie Claudius shares with Udham Singh the distinction of being one of the only two Indian players to win four Olympic medals in field hockey. To his gold medals in 1948, 1952 and 1956, he added a silver in 1960 when he captained the team that reached the final against Pakistan. He was the first player ever to earn 100 caps, and competed for India, in addition to the Olympics, on their European tour of 1949, Malaysian tour of 1952, Australian and New Zealand tours of 1955, and at the 3rd Asian Games in 1958. After the 1960 Olympics, he continued to compete domestically, retiring after the 1965 season. In 1971, he became the sixth Indian hockey player to be given the Padma Shri Civil award by the Indian government.
