Davinder Singh Garcha passes away at 73

Exam-focused facts from the 13 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Davinder Singh Garcha, former international hockey player and 1980 Moscow Olympics gold-medallist, passed away at his Jalandhar home.
He played six matches and scored eight goals in the 1980 Olympics where India defeated Spain 4-3 in the final.
He was the top scorer for India at the Champions Trophy held in Karachi.
He played more than 30 international matches across three tournaments and scored 19 goals.
He received the Dhyan Chand award in 2021.
Besides hockey, he served as an IPS officer and was DIG of Punjab Police.
He was president of the Olympian Surjit Hockey Society which organizes an annual hockey tournament.