KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has lost another renowned national hockey coach in C. Paramalingam, who died today. He was 91.
He leaves behind a wife and a daughter.
Known as Charlie to many, Paramalingam was one of the most loveable coaches with his wits and smile.
Former national coach Stephen van Huizen and current national coach Sarjit Singh are many of the national players who had trained under Paramalingam.
Paramalingam was a key forward for the national team from 1956 to 1970. His most notable achievement as a player was being one of Malaysia’s top scorers at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where he scored two goals.
He also competed in three Asian Games (1958, 1962 and 1966).
After his playing career, he switched to coaching, focusing on grassroots development in areas like Klang. He served as the national chief coach from 1982 to 1986, guiding Malaysia to qualify for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He received the Best National Coach award in 1999.
Paramalingam was the only Malaysian coach to lead the Asian All-Stars team during their 1989 tour of Asia and Europe.
Paramalingam was inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Hall of Fame in 2014 and was recognised with a national sports award in 2007.
Former national goalkeeper Zulkifli Abbas said there are no words to describe how good a coach and human being Paramalingam was.
“He was a calibre coach and very down to earth person. He was humble and took all criticism positively.
“I started my career as a football player in Klang but Paramalingam persuaded me to take up hockey in 1974 and I took his advice and went on to represent Malaysia as a goalkeeper from 1977 to 1984.
“He guided Malaysia to win bronze in the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. He had trained so many players to become better players and we will definitely miss him.”
Former World Cupper Maninderjit Singh said: “He coached the men’s Junior World Cup in 1993, and 1992 Junior Asia Cup and Klang City Council, Bank Simpanan Nasional teams in Malaysia Hockey League, which I was part of his journey.
“Coach Paramalingam was more than a coach, he was a mentor and a friend who fundamentally changed our lives. Your unwavering support and fatherly care nurtured us, and your lessons on courage and resilience will stay with us forever.
“He taught us not just how to play the game, but how to lead, how to show up with confidence, and how to find strength we didn’t know we had. I’ll never forget the time he told me how he played hockey at international level and how great it was to be an Olympian and that inspired all of us to pursue his similar dream which is to be an Olympian.
“His legacy lives on in every player he shaped, and he will be deeply missed by all of us. Till we meet again, coach Paramalingam – we miss your sound of the whistle and the stopwatch training methodology! Rest in peace coach and May God bless you eternal soul.”
Former Selangor coach C. Sivasubramaniam said coach Paramalingam had dedicated his whole life to hockey – as a player, coach and mentor.
“I was 19 when I started training under him in Klang and he helped to even get me a job with Klang Municipal Council in 1974.
“He guided me to become a coach and I must thank him for all the help he had given me.”
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
