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Indian hockey legend M.M. Somaya and his 1980 Olympic gold medal. Photo courtesy of M.M. Somaya |
Local authorities on Wednesday announced the recovery of the stolen memorabilia from the 67-year-old former athlete’s home.
Investigations revealed that the suspects failed to realize the historical value of the items. They sold one gold medal and one silver medal to a local gold-buying shop in Rajajinagar.
Police located the remaining six medals at the home of one of the suspects in Hoskote. It’s not yet confirmed whether the fenced gold medal was the highly prized 1980 Olympic medal.
“I feel like I have won the Olympic gold once again,” Somaya told The Times of India following the recovery.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed that the medals were returned to the former athlete after necessary legal formalities were completed, according to YEARS.
The burglary occurred while Somaya and his family were on a short trip to their hometown of Kodagu. A neighbor’s security camera captured two individuals breaking into the house at approximately 2:34 a.m. on Oct. 28.
Later that morning, a neighbor noticed the front door left open at 7:15 a.m. and alerted the family, who rushed back to Bengaluru to file a police report.
Somaya had brought the memorabilia to Bengaluru only two months prior. After retiring from the oil and gas corporation Bharat Petroleum, he moved from Mumbai to this city in 2025. He had intended to place the medals in a secure bank safe-deposit box.
The thieves broke into his locked cabinets, stealing the medal collection and leaving behind only empty velvet boxes.
On Nov. 9, police arrested 31-year-old Manikya and 25-year-old Bharat near Hagalahalli Cross in Ramanagara. The two confessed to carrying out the theft alongside a third accomplice who remains at large.
Police formed eight investigative teams to track down the stolen items. Alongside the medals, authorities recovered a camera, an Olympic-branded bag and a traditional weapon from the Kodagu region.
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The India national field hockey team won the gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Photo by Indian Olympic Association |
For Somaya, the value of the medal collection far exceeds its material worth. He noted that during his competitive era, field hockey was an amateur sport with no monetary rewards, making the medals his recognition for years of training while also preserving memories and pride in representing India.
The gold medal from the 1980 Moscow Olympics holds great significance, as it remains the last Olympic title won by the India men’s field hockey team. India defeated Spain 4–3 in that final, an achievement the nation has not replicated in 46 years.
Playing as a right-half, Somaya participated in three consecutive Olympic Games. In addition to the 1980 gold, he competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and captained the India national team at the 1988 Seoul Games.
The recovered collection tells the story of his career, including medals from his three Olympic appearances, a silver from the 1982 Asian Games, a bronze from the 1986 Asian Games and a bronze from the 1982 Champions Trophy.
In 1985, Somaya was honored with the Arjuna Award, a prestigious Indian sports accolade recognizing his contributions to the nation’s field hockey legacy.