Bhalindra Singh

Bhalindra Singh (9 October 1919 – 16 April 1992) was an Indian sports administrator and former first-class cricketer. Singh was an influential sports administrator who held positions in international and Indian sports governing bodies.

Early life and education
Bhalindra Singh was born on 9 October 1919 in Patiala, Punjab Province, British India. He was a younger son of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. Singh's mother was Jaswant Kaur. His elder brother was Yadavindra Singh, the last ruling Maharaja of Patiala.

Singh was educated at Aitchison College in Lahore and later attended Magdalene College, Cambridge in England.

Cricket career
Singh was a right-handed middle order batsman and right arm slow bowler. During his time at the University of Cambridge, he played one match for the Cambridge University Cricket Club against Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in 1939. After Cambridge, Singh played 12 matches in India for Southern Punjab and Patiala. In the 1943–44 season, he made his only century while playing for Southern Punjab against Northern India.

Sports administration career
After finishing his cricket career, Singh became a sports administrator, and he held positions in international and domestic sports governing bodies.

Singh was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1947 to 1992 and had also served on the IOC's executive board. He was instrumental in organising and bringing the 9th Asian Games to Delhi in 1982. Singh had also served as the President of the Asian Games Federation.

Singh was President of the Athletics Federation of India from 1952 to 1968. He was also the President of the Swimming Federation of India from 1952 to 1955. Singh was the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1960 to 1975 and from 1980 to 1984. The Raja Bhalindra Singh Trophy is named after Singh and is awarded to the team that wins the highest number of gold medals at the National Games of India.

Awards

 * Padma Bhushan – 1983
 * Service Award by the United States Sports Academy – 1983

Personal life
Singh had 3 daughters and one son. His son, Randhir Singh, is a prominent sports administrator and was an Olympic-level trap and skeet shooter.