Manuel Frederick, Olympic hockey medalist from Kerala, passes away

Manuel Frederick, a prominent goalkeeper for the Indian men's hockey team, has passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 78. Born on October 20, 1947, in Kannur, Kerala, Frederick was the first athlete from Kerala to win an Olympic medal.

Frederick was a key member of the Indian squad that secured a bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. He also represented India in two Hockey World Cups: winning a silver medal in the Netherlands in 1973 and competing in Argentina in 1978. Known among teammates as ‘Tiger’ for his courageous goalkeeping and mastery of penalty strokes, he played for several clubs including ASC, HAL, Services, Uttar Pradesh, and Mohun Bagan.

In recognition of his significant contributions to Indian sports, he was honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Award in 2019. He follows P. R. Sreejesh as the second goalkeeper from Kerala to win an Olympic medal, having secured bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.