Hanumant Singh
A stylish batsman known for a famous debut century, he later helped shape the modern game as a respected and pioneering match referee.
1939–2006 (age 67)·Indian cricketer·Birthday: March 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Hanumant Singh played cricket with an aristocratic elegance that belied a tough core. The nephew of the great Maharaja of Porbandar, he announced himself in 1964 with a defiant 105 on Test debut against England in Delhi, a knock played with a broken finger. Though his international career was limited to 14 Tests, he was remembered for his graceful strokeplay, particularly through the covers. After his playing days, he transitioned seamlessly into cricket administration, serving as a national selector and later becoming one of the first full-time match referees appointed by the International Cricket Council. In this role, he helped steward the game into its professional, globalized era, officiating in the 1999 World Cup and earning universal respect for his calm authority and deep understanding of the game's spirit.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Hanumant was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hanumant Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
Hanumant's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2006Died at 67
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Scored a century (105) on his Test debut for India against England in 1964, batting with a fractured finger.
- Served as an International Cricket Council match referee in 9 Test matches and 54 One Day Internationals between 1995 and 2002.
- Was a member of the Indian national selection committee that helped build the team for the 1980s.
- Captained Rajasthan to victory in the Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic competition, in the 1973-74 season.
Did You Know?
He was the first cricketer to be given out by the third umpire using television replay in a Test match (1992).
His father, Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, and uncle, Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, both played Test cricket for England.
He authored a well-received instructional book titled 'Cricket: The Game of Life.'
He was the match referee for the famous 1999 Cricket World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa.
“You play the ball on its merits, not the bowler's reputation.”
