Sikh Hockey Olympians
Sikhs in Hockey at Olympic Games
  

This website is a tribute to the Sikh community that, over the decades, has become synonymous with field hockey and the Olympic Games. The Sikh Olympic saga began  with India’s debut at the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. The team had one Sikh player, Kehar Singh Gill from Punjab. Since then, the community has figured prominently at every Olympic Games as players or coaches or umpires.
Balbir Singh the winning captain in Melbourne

Some highlights of the community’s involvement:

130 players have played at Olympic Games - representing eight countries (Canada, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Tanzania and Uganda).

Members of nine Gold medal teams (8 India and 1 GB), one Silver medal team (India) and three bronze medal teams (2 India and 1 GB).

Scored 242 goals at Olympic Games.

Balbir Singh and Udham Singh of India won 3 Olympic Gold Medals.

Udham Singh (India); Avtar Singh Sohal (Kenya) & Surjeet Singh Panesar (Kenya) played in four consecutive Olympic Games.
Balbir Singh at Melbourne

1932 Helsinki Olympics:

Gurmit Singh Kullar, first Sikh to score an Olympic goal.

1956 Melbourne Olympics:

Balbir Singh, first Sikh to captain India; Surjeet Singh Deol, first Sikh to captain Kenya; Udham Singh,  top scorer with 15 goals; Gian Singh (India); Harbail Singh (India) and Mahan Singh (Kenya) in the umpires panel.
Harbinder Leading India's attack
Harbinder Singh leading India's attack
Surjit Singh of India

1968 Mexico Olympics:

13 Sikhs in Indian team with Prithipal and Gurbux as joint captains. 9 Sikhs in the Kenyan team captained by Avtar Singh Sohal.

1972 Munich Olympics:

30 Sikhs represented India, Kenya, Malaysia and Uganda.

India vs Kenya match had 15 Sikh players on the field at the same time (10 for Kenya and 5 for India)

Two Sikh captains in that match - Harmik Singh (India) and Avtar Singh Sohal (Kenya); India won 3–2, all five goals by Sikhs. Sikhs scored 35 goals.

Surjit Singh at 2nd World Cup

1976 Montreal Olympics:

India's Ajit Singh scored the fastest ever goal in Olympic Games - 15 seconds.

Olympic coaches:

Balkrishen Singh coached 4 Indian Olympic teams.Hardial Singh Kular coached 2 Kenya Olympic teams. Harbail Singh coached 2 Indian Olympic teams.

Olympic Umpires:

Amarjit Singh (Malaysia), Gian Singh, Gursewak Singh, Harbail Singh (all India) have umpired at two Olympic Games.

Harbail Singh (India) and Mahan Singh (Kenya) have umpired at Olympic Games and Coached Olympic teams.

Administrators

Hardial Singh (Kenya) - Vice-President of FIH & President of African Hockey Federation.

K P S Gill – President, Indian Hockey Federation.

Sarinder Singh Dillon - President, Hong Kong Hockey Association.