# Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu

Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu (Punjabi: ਗੁਰ੍ਬਾਕਸ਼ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧੂ), also spelled as Gurbax/Gurbux Singh Sandhu, was the national boxing coach of India. He started coaching the India National Team from the year 1993. He was influential in bringing a medal to India in 2008 Summer Olympics, when Vijender Singh of India won bronze, which was the first ever medal for India in Boxing at Olympics. He has also helped Indian boxers in their performances in World Championship. He stopped coaching boxing of India until July 2013.

## Early life

Sandhu's association with the sport of boxing goes back to his childhood days at Sainik School, Jamnagar, where boxing was a compulsory discipline.
He was a state champion but as he says, his inclination was more towards studies. However, destiny willed otherwise and after finishing school, Sandhu joined Government Sports College, Jalandhar, and later studied to acquire a diploma in boxing coaching from the NIS in 1975. He went to Germany to pursue Masters in Sports and on his return, joined NIS in 1977-78.
Two of his apprentice boxers reached the quarter-finals of 2008 Summer Olympics, and Vijender Singh won a bronze medal. In 2012 Olympics, two boxers reached the quarter-finals. He was also successful in making more boxers qualify for the Olympics. Eight Indian boxers had qualified for the London Olympics 2012.

## Performance of boxers in Olympics
### 2008 Olympics

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Overall |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Jitender Kumar | Flyweight | Memis (TUR) W (Opponent retired) | Doniyorov (UZB) W 13 : 6 | Balakshin (RUS) L 15 : 11 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Akhil Kumar | Bantamweight | Hallab (FRA) W 12 : 5 | Vodopyanov (RUS) W +9 : 9 | Gojan (MDA) L 10 : 3 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Anthresh Lalit Lakra | Featherweight | Sultonov (UZB) L 9 : 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Vijender Singh | Middleweight | Badou (GAM) W 13 : 2 | Chomphuphuang (THA) W 13 : 3 | Góngora (ECU) W 9 : 4 | Correa (CUB) L 8 : 5 | Did not advance | Bronze |
| Dinesh Kumar | Light heavyweight | Benchabla (ALG) L 3 : 23 (stopped by referee) | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### 2012 Olympics
#### Men

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Devendro Singh | Light flyweight | Molina (HON) W RSC | Purevdorj (MGL) W 16–11 | Barnes (IRL) L 18-23 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Shiva Thapa | Bantamweight | Valdez (MEX) L 9–14 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Jai Bhagwan | Lightweight | Allisop (SEY) W 18–8 | Zhailaouv (KAZ) L 8–16 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Manoj Kumar | Light welterweight | Hudayberdiyev (TKM) W 13–7 | Stalker (GBR) L 16–20 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Vikas Krishan Yadav | Welterweight | Bye | Spence (USA) L 13–15 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Vijender Singh | Middleweight | Suzhanov (KAZ) W 14–10 | Gausha (USA) W 16–15 | Atoev (UZB) L 13–17 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Sumit Sangwan | Light heavyweight | Falcão (BRA) L 14–15 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |