Datuk Datuk (or its variant Dato or Datu) is a Malay language, Malay honorific title commonly used in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, as well as a traditional title by Minangkabau people in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Use of the title various between loc ...

Punch Gunalan (4 February 1944 – 15 August 2012) was a

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

badminton Badminton is a racquet sport played using racket (sports equipment), racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net (device), net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" (with one player per s ...

player, who achieved success in both singles and doubles competitions.

Badminton career

Gunalan was a talented right-hander who spent what might have been some of the best years of his playing career competing only sporadically as a student in England. In early 70s, Gunalan and his partner, Ng Boon Bee became the leading men's doubles team in the world. They captured gold at the biennial

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...

(1970), at the quadrennial

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 ...

(1970), and at the Asian Championships (1969). They captured the venerable All England title in 1971. Though perhaps less consistent in singles than he was in doubles, Gunalan was capable of playing it at the highest level. He reached the All-England singles final in 1974, losing in three close sets to the iconic

Rudy Hartono Rudy Hartono Kurniawan (born Nio Hap Liang ( zh, s=梁海量, p=Liáng Hǎiliàng, poj=Niô͘ Hái-liâng); 18 August 1949) is an Indonesian former badminton player holding the record of winning the men's singles title at the All-England Champio ...

. He also helped Malaysia reach the

Thomas Cup The Thomas Cup, sometimes referred as World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. The championships h ...

final in 1970. He is the only Malaysian to capture gold medals in both men's singles and men's doubles at the

Sea Games The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with su ...

, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games.

Post-retirement

After retiring as a player in 1974 Gunalan served in various stints as coach of the Malaysian team, an official in the Malaysian Badminton Association and as an official in the

International Badminton Federation The Badminton World Federation, aka BWF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport of badminton approved by the International Olympic Committee. It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federat ...

(now

Badminton World Federation The Badminton World Federation, aka BWF, is the international governing body for the sport of badminton approved by the International Olympic Committee. It was founded on 5 July 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member ...

). In 1992, as team manager of the Thomas Cup together with Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Malaysia won the Thomas Cup beating Indonesia.

Death

Gunalan died on 15 August 2012 in Subang Medical Centre,

Subang Jaya Subang Jaya is a city in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It comprises the southern third district of Petaling. It consists of the neighbourhoods from SS12 to SS19, UEP Subang Jaya (USJ), Putra Heights, Batu Tiga as well as PJS7, PJ ...

, after a short battle against cancer. He was 68.

Honours

* Malaysia: ** Herald of the

Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia The Most Distinguished Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia () is a Malaysian State decoration, federal award presented for service and loyalty to the Crown, often to members of the armed forces, police and civil service. Order ranks ...

(BSD) (1988) ** Commander of the

(PSD) – Datuk (1992)

Achievements

Olympic Games (demonstration)

''Men's doubles''

Commonwealth Games

''Men's singles'' ''Men's doubles''

Asian Games

''Men's singles'' ''Men's doubles''

Asian Championships

''Men's singles'' ''Men's doubles''

Southeast Asian Peninsular Games

''Men's singles'' ''Men's doubles'' ''Mixed doubles''

International tournaments

''Men's singles'' ''Men's doubles''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gunalan, Punch Malaysian male badminton players 1944 births 2012 deaths Malaysian people of Tamil descent Malaysian sportspeople of Indian descent Badminton players from Selangor Olympic badminton players for Malaysia Badminton players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Asian Games medalists in badminton Asian Games gold medalists for Malaysia Asian Games bronze medalists for Malaysia Badminton players at the 1970 Asian Games Badminton players at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games Badminton players at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Malaysia Commonwealth Games gold medallists in badminton Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Malaysia Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in badminton Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games SEA Games medalists in badminton SEA Games gold medalists for Malaysia Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia Competitors at the 1969 SEAP Games Competitors at the 1971 SEAP Games Competitors at the 1973 SEAP Games Heralds of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia Medallists at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games