The Forgotten Leader

Jaipal Singh Munda was one of the most prolific figures in Indian political and sports history.

- By MAYANK JAIN PARICHHA

Known as Marang Gomke, meaning “the big chief”, Jaipal Singh Munda was one of the most prolific figures in Indian political and sports history.

Although he remained in public life until his death, he is not a widely recognised name. It is strange that someone who captained the Indian hockey team to its first Olympic gold in 1928 in Amsterdam, and who was also a prominent tribal leader and a member of the Constituent Assembly, remains such an under-recognised figure.

His memoir, titled Lo Bir Sendra in his native Mundari, meaning “annual community hunt,” offers a fascinating insight into his life. Written during a sea voyage in 1969, a year before his death, the manuscript was nearly lost. It was first published in 2004, faded into obscurity, and has now found new life with republication.