Chaudhry Ghulam Rasool

Chaudhry Ghulam Rasul (1 May 1931 – 1991) was an educationist of Pakistan as well as a field hockey Olympian. He came from Faisalabad District but later settled in Lahore. Rasool was an integral part of the Pakistani team from 1956 through 1963.

Education and career

Rasool obtained his MSc in Agriculture from Faislabad University with first position in the University. He began his career as a lecturer in Aitchison College Lahore, but soon joined Rehabilitation Department where he worked as Deputy Settlement Commissioner. Later, he joined the Kansas University in the United States and complete a PhD within three years, returning to Pakistan to join as Principal of Aitchison College Lahore. Later, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor if Faislabad University for three years. Thereafter he joined the Punjab Agriculture Development Corporation as a managing director. This was followed by his appointment as Secretary of Punjab Animal Care Department in Pakistan. He finally retired as Secretary of the Agriculture Department in Punjab. During all of these years, Rasool also represented Pakistan in numerous international conferences, seminars, and delegations. Rasool was also the Honorary Secretary of Pakistan Association of Science and was the first Asian ever to receive the International Alumani Medallion Award from Kansas State University, the highest honour on him for life achievement. He was recipient of a number of distinctions and "Gold Medals" and was conferred the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1970.

As a sportsman (1956–63)

Rasool was the captain of university hockey team and won inter-university tournament championships. Later he was included as a member of the Pakistan National Hockey Team and played many international matches. He was a member of the team at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 where his country received the silver medal. Two years later, he represented Pakistan in Asian Games Hockey, held in Tokyo, and received silver medal. In 1960 Rasool captained the Pakistan Hockey Team in the Rome Olympics and won a gold medal by defeating its arch-rival India in the finals. In 1962, Rasool again was the captain of the Pakistan Hockey Team that participated in Asian Games Hockey, held in Jakarta. He once more led his team to victory and won a gold medal for Pakistan by defeating India in the finals. After retirement from active hockey, Rasool was appointed first as Secretary and later as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). He was also the Selection Committee chairman.

Rasool died in 1991. One of his sons, Akhtar Rasool is also an international hockey player who skippered the Pakistani Hockey Team in the 1982 World Cup competition and won a gold medal for Pakistan by defeating India in the finals.