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Sikhs
in Hockey in Hong Kong
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The
Hong Kong Hockey Association (HKHA) was founded in 1933.
The inaugural meeting was held on 22nd June 1933 when
it was reported that hockey had already made tremendous
strides over the past few years but needed a central body
to look after the interests of the game and to seek affiliation
with the English Hockey Association, which was duly achieved
by 1935.
The
first AGM was held on 31st July 1934 when they looked
back on their first year with the President, E. W. Hamilton
stating they felt fully justified in having set up the
Association. At that time there were 150 teams, both men
and women, with some 2,500 players.
As
there were only 16 grounds (mainly military grounds) it
was agreed to write to Government to ask for more. So
hockey was already flourishing in Hong Kong over 70 years
ago. Club de Recreio is the only surviving club from those
days.
The
HKHA became affiliated to the Asian Hockey Federation
and the International Hockey Federation in 1950. The HKHA
is also affiliated to the Sports Federation & Olympic
Committee of Hong Kong, China.
The men's league comprised two divisions in 1950, three
in 1961, four in 1981 and five in 1985. A Premier division
was introduced in the Men's league in 2003-2004. In the
1953-54 season, there were 9 teams in the Men's 1st Division,
11 in the Men's 2nd Division and 10 in the Ladies' league.
In the 2003-2004 season, there were a total of 63 men's
teams in six divisions and 38 women's teams in five divisions.
In
the 1950's, the game was dominated by the armed forces,
notably Army A. The power shifted to Recreio A in the
1960's, and Nav Bharat A in the 1970's. Shaheen became
the dominant force from the late 1980's.
Hong
Kong's first exposure to hockey at the highest level was
in 1958 when it hosted the visit of the India and Pakistan
National Teams who were on their way home after the Asian
Games in Tokyo.
Capacity
crowds witnessed the brilliant skills of the Indian and
Pakistani players in matches played at the former Sookunpoo
Army Ground. Pakistan defeated Hong Kong 7-0. The second
day saw Hong Kong being overwhelmed by India by a massive
22-1. India repeated the feat the next day blanking Nav
Bharat 21-0.
The
local hero in the game against Pakistan undoubtedly was
Slawee Kadir, the Hong Kong goalkeeper. Slawee's brilliant
display between the posts kept Pakistan from scoring time
and again.
Four
years later, in 1962, the Hong Kong team participated
in its first ever international tournament, the Asian
Games in Jakarta. Hong Kong lost to India by a very respectable
0-4 and Malaysia (0-4), but caused a major upset by defeating
Korea, the 1958 Asian Games Bronze medallists, by 2 goals
to nil.
1964
saw Hong Kong participating in its first ever Olympics
Games. Hong Kong, who were placed 2nd reserves, found
themselves in Tokyo after France (replaced by Rhodesia)
and Poland pulled out. That first ever hockey Olympic
team included three Sikhs, Kuldip
Singh, Sarinder Singh Dillon
and Harnam Singh Grewal.
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Hong
Kong Team 1964
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Hong
Kong's match records at Olympic Games:
1964
Tokyo Olympic Games, click here
The
Nav Bharat Club
The Nav Bharat Club was established
in 1951. It was constituted to cater for the sporting
and social needs of the Indian community in Hong
Kong.
The main sports played by members at the time were
hockey and badminton. In 1961, the club progressed
into squash and soon recorded a number of successes.
Hockey, nevertheless, remained the main pursuit.
Over the years, the club won many laurels in hockey
and produced many fine players who went on to represent
Hong Kong at the Olympics Games and the Asian Games.
The club’s most remarkable achievement was winning
a total 17 trophies out of 18 that were at stake
at the senior level during the 3 year period from
1971/1972 to 1973/1974 – a feat which has not been,
and unlikely to be, repeated by any other hockey
team in Hong Kong.
The club has also organized hockey tours to Malaysia
and Singapore and played hosts to many overseas
hockey teams, including the India National Team
in 1958.
Other activities organized by the club for the community
includes children’s sports day, launch picnics,
dinners, musical programs and social gatherings.
The club has been patronized by persons of prominence
like Mr. B. Ditta, the first president of the club;
Mr. F. T. Melwani, who became the first patron of
the Club’ Dr. the Hon. Dhun Ruttonjee, CBE, LLD,
JP, a Legislative Councilor; and Mr. Harnam Singh
Grewal, former Secretary for the Civil Service.
Dr. Hari Harilela, GBS, OBE, LLD, JP the most prominent
person of the Indian community, has been associated
with the club for over 40 years. A former president
of the club, Dr. Hari is currently the club patron.
The
Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2001 with
a grand party at the Golden Mile Holiday Inn. Many
distinguished guests and leading sports personalities
graced the occasion. Well-known Punjabi singer/artist
Harbhajan Mann was flown in from India to entertain
the gathering.
Exchange
of Visits with the Malaysia Singapore Sikhs Sports
Council
(Compiled by Sarinder Dillon)
Perhaps the most notable achievement in the history
of Nav Bharat Club has been the inception of the
exchange of visits with the Malaysia Singapore Sikhs
Sports Council. The series of visits was inaugurated
in 1955 when the Malayan Indians came to Hong Kong
at the Club’s invitation. The visitors came by freighter
and the one-way sea journey took about 4 days. The
guests were accommodated at the China Fleet Club,
Gloucester Road, Wanchai.
The Club returned the visit in December 1964, with
a relatively young and inexperienced team. The regular
A team players like Pat Gardner, Harnam Grewal,
Farid Khan and Eric McCosh could not make the tour
because of work commitments (they had represented
Hong Kong at the Tokyo Olympics two months earlier
in October). Had they been able to tour, the results
of some of the games would no doubt have been different.
Until 1980, the exchange of visits have been quite
regular. The Malaysians and Singaporeans visited
Hong Kong in 1966, 1969 ,1974 and 1977 while Nav
Bharat toured Malaysia and Singapore in 1967,1972,1975
and 1980.
The combined Malaysian and Singaporean Sikhs have
dominated the series as the results will show. However,
Nav Bharat’s tour in 1967 was by far the most successful.
Of the ten matches played, we won seven, drew one
and lost two. For the first time we won the coveted
Dr. Keshmahinder Singh Trophy. Nav Bharat repeated
its success in Hong Kong in 1977. Although the matches
in 1975 in Johore Bahru (3-3) and in 1992 in Hong
Kong (2-2) ended in draws, all those who played
and witnessed these matches came away convinced
that Nav Bharat were unlucky not to have won.
The series changed its format in 1990 with the inaugural
First Asean Pacific Region Sikhs Hockey Tournament
held in Kuala Lumpur. The intention was to expand
the series to include Sikh teams from Thailand,
Indonesia and Australia.Despite the efforts of many,
it was not possible to bring in teams from these
countries.The series therefore remained a competition
contested by the Malaysian Sikhs, the Singapore
Khalsa Association and Nav Bharat Club.
The tournament has been hosted by the Malaysian
Sikhs in Kuala Lumpur in 1990 and 1997, by Nav Bharat
Club in 1992 and 1998 and by the Singapore Khalsa
Association in 1994. The Malaysian Sikhs have dominated
the tournament emerging champions on all the five
occasions. Nav Bharat has been runners-up four times.
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PHOTO
GALLERY |
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The
First Hockey Team of the Nav Bharat Club taken at
the Sikh Temple in August 1951.
Back
row (L-R):- name unknown, Tehal Singh, P.R. Lagi,
Rattan Singh Dhillon, Gurbax Singh Gill and Mohinder
Singh Wasan
Middle
row (L-R):- Jangeer Singh, D.G. Welling, Dr. H.
Mohan Singh, Makhan Singh,
Udham Singh Dillon and Balwant Singh
First
row (L-R):- Lall Singh, Prem Singh Gurkha and Sarwan
Singh Gill |
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Nav
Bharat Team
1953
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Visit
of Indian Navy Frigate
The INS Couvery in July 1954
The
two teams pose before the start of the friendly
match. |
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Winners
of the HKHA Christmas Festival 1954
Back
row(L-R): Manjit Singh Wasan, Hanif Mohammed, Gurbux
Singh Gill, Harnam Singh Grewal, Sarwan Singh, Ishar
Singh
Middle
row(L-R) : Mohinder Singh Wasan, Bhagat Singh, F.
T. Melwani (President), B.Ditta (Patron), Udham
Singh Dillon
Front
Row(L-R) : Uttam Singh Sandhu and Gurcharan Singh
Chima
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Nav
Bharat Team
1956 |
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The
Nav Bharat “A” Team
mid 1960s
Back
row (L-R):- Hanif Mohamed, Pat Gardner, Farid Khan,
Kuldip Singh, Mohammad Iqbal and K. Lall
Middle
row (L-R):- Mohinder Singh Wasan, Bhagat Singh,
and Leng Kwok-Sang
Front
row (L-R):- Harnam Grewal, Rahin Rahim and Udham
Singh Dillon |
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Nav
Bharat Team and Royal Selangor Club Hockey Team
in Kuala Lunpur,
Malaysia
December
1964. |
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NBC
vs Malaysian Sikhs Sookunpoo Ground
1969 |
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Nav
Bharat with the Eid Festival Trophy
Back
Row(L-R) : (Name Unknown), Arshinder Grewal, Harjit
Khosa, Amarjeet Singh Khosa, Jangeer Singh, Mohinder
Khakh, Sarwan Dillon
Front Row(L-R) : Harnam Grewal, Bob Grewal, Sarinder
Dillon, Billy Dillon with young Gurvind, Amarpal
Singh Grewal, Bhagwahn Randawe
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With
the Omega Cup
Back
Row(L-R) : Billy Dillon, Bob Grewal, Khajan Singh,
Rajiv Chima, Derek Field, Andrew Paul, Edward Tam,
Balvinder Dillon
Front
Row(L-R) : Mohinder Khakh, Amarpal Grewal, Sarwan
Dillon, Sarinder Dillon, Bhagwahn Randawe
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The
Nav Bharat 'B' Team |
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The
Nav Bharat 'C' Team
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The
Nav Bharat Youth Team
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The
big match Nav Bharat vs Malaysia Singapore Sikhs
at Royal Selangor Club
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The
Nav Bharat Players, officials and supporters
Standing(L-R)
: Bonny Gafoor, Arjan Canth, Baljit Ahuluwalia,
Pritam Singh, Yacoob Aladdin, Dari Dillon, Uttam
S.Sandhu, Shamsher Atwal, Surjan Pannu, Rashid Gafoor,
Harnam Grewal, Frank Drake, Jangeer Singh, Udham
Dillon, J.Singh , Surjit Dillon, Ajit Chahal
Kneeling(L-R)
: Bux, Gurdev Brar, Sarinder Dillon, Bishen Canth,
Harbans Dillon, Preetmohan Singh, Malaysian International
Umpire, G. Vijayananthan, N.A. Arora |
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