Manuel Frederick was the primary individual from Kerala to win an Olympic hockey medal. File | Photograph Credit score: Thulasi Kakkat
Olympian Manuel Frederick, who gave wings to India’s hockey goals and introduced Kerala its first Olympic medal, handed away on Friday (October 31, 2025) morning at a personal hospital in Bengaluru. He was battling most cancers, which had reached its fourth stage.
Born and raised in Kannur, 78-year-old Manuel Frederick had been residing in Bengaluru for a few years. A member of India’s bronze medal-winning hockey group on the 1972 Munich Olympics, he was the primary Malayali to win an Olympic medal. Identified for his lightning-fast reflexes and aggressive as a goalkeeper, he was fondly known as “The Ghost”, ‘Tiger’ by his followers.
Additionally Learn: For Olympic hero Manuel Fredericks, life remains to be a struggle
Regardless of his stellar efficiency, India conceded solely targets in six matches in Munich—Frederick was neglected for the Arjuna award on the time. It took practically 5 many years for formal recognition, when he was honored with the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2019 after eight earlier rejections. He was additionally neglected for Padmashri even after making use of for previous ten years.
Frederick’s legacy stays unmatched in Kerala’s Olympic historical past. Of the State’s three Olympic medals, one was received by him and the opposite two by PR Sreejesh, additionally a hockey goalkeeper on the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics, each bronze medals.
Over his eight-year worldwide profession, Frederick represented India in a single Olympics, two World Cups, and a number of other tournaments, securing a silver medal within the 1973 World Cup within the Netherlands, a fourth-place end within the 1978 Argentina World Cup, and victories in eight different worldwide competitions.
After finishing education in Kannur, Frederick joined the Indian Military in 1965 by way of the Military Sports activities Management Board and went on to play for the service, Mohun Bagan, and Bombay.
In an period earlier than protecting gear grew to become frequent, Frederick guarded the goalpost with minimal gear, relying purely on intuition and braveness. His philosophy was easy: “If a defender makes a mistake, one other can cowl, but when a goalkeeper errors, it is a objective, and if a goalkeeper leaves greater than two targets, he’s not match to be a goalkeeper,” recollects sports activities commentator and shut good friend V. Devdas.
“Regardless of being the primary Malayali to win a medal within the Olympics, the State authorities didn’t give him due recognition by giving the very best honor or naming a floor in his identify,” Mr. Devdas mentioned.
Mr. Devadas mentioned even after retirement, he remained dedicated to the game, teaching younger gamers in Bengaluru regardless of monetary hardships, supported by his navy and sports activities pensions. Although he was allotted land in Payyambalam, Kannur, in 2007, a home was constructed for him solely in 2019 by way of the initiative of then Sport Minister EP Jayarajan.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, expressing his condolences, mentioned that Manuel Frederick was the most effective goalkeepers on the earth in the course of the helmetless interval of 1971–78. He introduced laurel to the State and the nation, and he shares the grief of his demise along with his relations and sports activities fans.
His household knowledgeable that the mortal stays can be buried in Bengaluru on Saturday (October 1, 2025).
Revealed – October 31, 2025 02:01 pm IST