Balbir Singh (Services) was born on 5th April 1945 in Sansarpur, Jalandhar Dist. Punjab.
He attended Cantonment Board School, Jalandhar.
He toured Afghanistan with Indian Universities Hockey Team in 1962. Two years later, he played for the Punjab State in the 1964 National Hockey Championship in Delhi.
As a young military cadet, Balbir was in the team that toured Europe and he earned his first international cap when he played against East Germany on 2nd May 1966 in Leipzig, East Germany.
He was a member of Indian team that toured Japan in 1966, Europe and Kenya in 1967, Uganda and Europe in 1968.
Balbir played for India in the 1966 Bangkok Asian Games where India won the Gold Medal.
Balbir joined the Army in 1965 and represented the services in the National Hockey Championship from 1965 to 1974.
He represented India at the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games where India won the Bronze Medal.
He led the services team that won the Bombay Gold Cup in 1971.
Problems with the knee affected his playing career but not his love for the game. He took to coaching and coached the ASC hockey team from 1970 to 1980 and Central Zone team in 1981.
Balbir was the Women's National Coach from 1995 to 1998. He was the National Selector and Government nominee on the selection panel of the Indian Hockey Federation (senior) from March 1987 to July 1987. He was also the manager of the Indian hockey team which participated in the Indo-Pan American Hockey Championship held in Chandigarh in 1995.
Balbir rose to the rank of Colonel in the Indian Army.
As a tribute to the glorious success of the Indian Hockey Team in the 5th Asian Games at Bangkok, the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department released a special commemorative stamp on 31st December 1966. Balbir Singh ‘Services' is one of four players in the picture on the stamp.
After his retirement in his native village, Sansarpur (which is known as the nursery of Indian Hockey) Balbir's love for hockey remains undiminished. He is the President of Sansarpur Hockey Association and is involved in a plan to train and nurture hockey talent where approximately 150 young boys are being trained every day.
Balbir was awarded the Indian National Award ‘Arjuna Puraskar' in 1968.
He was awarded Vishist Seva Medal.
He received Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card In 1999 he received a Lifetime Achievement award.