Two members of India’s last Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team, Ravindra Pal Singh and Maharaj Krishan Kaushik, died of COVID-19 on the same day, reported AFP. Their families said they died hours apart on Saturday: Singh, 60, in the northern city of Lucknow and Kaushik, 66, later in New Delhi. Both had been on ventilators in hospitals.

India’s 2 Olympic gold winners die of COVID-19 on same day

The two were part of India’s gold-winning hockey team in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. 

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India has been battling a huge surge in infections in recent weeks with more than 400,000 cases and 4,000 deaths being reported for the past two days. 

Kaushik went on to coach the India men’s side to gold at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok. He also coached the women’s side that took bronze at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

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“His contribution to Indian sports will always be remembered,” said Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in a tribute.

Singh also played for India at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, but retired because of chronic back injuries.