The Flying Sikh on the ten best sportsmen India has produced since Independence

1. Major Dhyan Chand: The best hockey player India has ever produced. Dhyan Chand held his opponents spellbound with his dribbling and passing. The ball seemed as if it was glued to his stick when he played and scored goal after goal.

2. Milkha Singh: It may sound a bit silly, but I personally feel the list would be incomplete if I do not include my own name in this list. I was the first Indian athlete to enter the Olympic finals in the 1960 Games in Rome.

3. Gurbachan Singh Randhawa: He was one person who could have worked wonders had he stuck to one discipline. Unfortunately, he would take to hurdles, then decathlon on another occasion. He was relaxed. He had good strides. He would have won many gold medals for the country if he opted only for the hurdles -- the event which took him to the finals of the 1964 Olympic Games.

4. Sriram Singh: Good athlete, who worked hard to earn a name. He too made it to the finals of the 1976 Olympics in the 800 metres.

5. P T Usha: Without question she was the best woman athlete India has ever produced. I don't think the country will have another woman athlete of her stature for a long time to come. Her effort in the Los Angeles Olympics was worth a medal.

6. Prakash Padukone: One of the most graceful badminton players the game has seen not only in India but also in Asia. No other Indian badminton player could ever hope to match his achievements.

7. Ramanathan Krishnan: Indian tennis has produced a lot of talented players -- people like Vijay Amritraj, Anand Amritraj, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. But none of them came anywhere near Ramanathan Krishnan who stands head and shoulders above them all.

8. Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal: These two golfers are doing well on the international golf circuit. The rest are good enough to play in the Indian circuit.

9. Geet Sethi: Though Michael Ferriera has also been on the Indian billiard scene, I think Geet Sethi is a better player. He can take on the best in the world.

10. Maharaja Karni Singh: I have seen him participate in the shooting event in various Olympics. He had a sturdy hand and knew what he was aiming at.

As told to Onkar Singh

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