Kirpal Singh Bhardwaj was born in Tororo, Uganda and studied at Government Indian School, Kampala. He went to India for further studies and studied at Khalsa High School, Batala, Punjab; Hindu College, Amritsar and graduated as a Technical Draughtsman at Punjab University.
He learnt his hockey in Punjab in 1955/56 and represented Hindu College, Amritsar at the Punjab University Hockey Tournaments twice. He was awarded College Colours in Amritsar in 1955/56.
He played for the famous Sikh Union Nairobi Club from 1957 to 1969 and was a member of the team that won the MR D'Souza Gold Cup for the first time in 1959. The Club won the famous Gold Cup a record 7 times during this period.
He represented Kenya from 1959 to 1968, a period when the Country was at her peak in international hockey, earning 95 caps. During this period Kenya were amongst the best teams in the world and they played India and Pakistan regularly, both home and away. Kenya finished 6th at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, the best position in the Country's Olympic history.
He played right back for Kenya at three Olympic Games - Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968.
The trio of Jack Simonian in goal, Kirpal Bhardwaj as right back and Avtar Sohal as left back was the backbone of the national and club team during this golden period in the 1960s.
He was employed by Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners in Nairobi, Kenya from 1970 to 1979 and worked for the parent body in Reading, Berkshire in the UK when he emigrated to the UK in 1980.
He died in Harrow, London on 10 November 2013.