|
| Born |
22.3.1938,
Nairobi, Kenya |
| School
/ University |
Duke
of Gloucester School, Nairobi |
| Profession |
Sales
and Marketing Manager |
| Club(s) |
Sikh
Union Nairobi |
| Playing
Position |
Left
back |
| First
International |
1957 |
| Last
International |
1972 |
| International
Caps |
167 |
| Goals
scored |
|
| Hockey
Idol |
Surjeet
Singh Deol (Senior) |
|
Olympic
Games:
Avtar
Singh Sohal represented Kenya at the 1960 Rome; 1964 Tokyo;
1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympic Games as a player.
He captained the last three Olympic Games.
He
was the Coach to the Kenya team at the 1984 Los Angeles
Olympic Games. |
|
 |
First
played for Kenya against South Africa in 1957.
Was a member of the Rhodesia Tour in 1961
Captained and toured Pakistan 1962
Captained and played against India and Pakistan, toured India
1964
Captained Zanzibar, Uganda and Tanzania and Zambia Tours. |
L
-to-R: Kenya's captain Avtar Singh, Surjeet, goalkeeper Amarjeet
and Indian forward Rajwinder Singh. Photo: Morley Pecker |
- Played
for Kenya for 15 years and captained the country from 1962
to 1972.
- Member
of Development and Coaching Committee of International Hockey
Federation since 1978.
-
Captained Kenya in the first World Cup in 1971 in Barcelona
where Kenya finished fourth.
- Assistant
Coach at the second World Cup 1973 in Amsterdam.
|
 |
Surjeet
Panesar (L) & Avtar Singh |
 |
Avtar's
favourite match is the 4th test match of India v Kenya 1964
series. Kenya beat India 3-0 in Jabalpure test match on April
27, 1964.
The
same Indian Team won the Gold in Tokyo six months later.
Kenya
finished 6th at Tokyo, their best position at Olympic Games.
|
against
Pakistan at City Park Park Stadium Nairobi. |
A
City Primary School pupil.
Appeared
in the Guinness Book of Records. The citation in the 184 Guinness
Book of Records read:
‘Most International Appearances: Avtar Singh Sohal (b.
22 March 1938) represented Kenya 167 times between 1957 and
1972.'
Kenya
National Coach and International Umpire. |
 |
| |
 |
Coached
Indonesian, Hong Kong and Zimbabwean hockey teams.
Head
Coach of Kenya Hockey Union in 2005.
Vice Chairman Kenya Hockey Union in 2005.
Awarded
‘Head of State Commendation Award’ by President
of Kenya on 12th December 2004. |
| |
| Awarded
‘Diploma of Merit’ for distinguished services rendered
to the F.I.H. and to Hockey by Juan Angel Calzado, President of
the International Hockey Federation on 23 November 2000. |
 |
Kenya's
tour of England 1966 |
 |
Under
Avtar's captaincy, Kenya beat West Germany twice at the First
Hockey World Cup in Barcelona in 1971.
In
the pool match, on 18 October 1971, Kenya defeated West Germany
3-0 (Jagjit, Avtar & Davinder scoring for Kenya).
In
the play off match for 2nd & 3rd place in Pool A, on 20
October 1971,Kenya defeated West Germany 2 - 1 with Avtar scoring
both Kenya's goals. |
Avtar Singh in 1970 |
Kenya
lost 0 - 1 to hosts Spain on 22 October 1971 in the semi-final
of the First Hockey World Cup.
Pakistan
defeated Spain 1 - 0 to win the World Cup.
In
the play - off match for 3rd/4th place, Kenya lost 1 - 2 after
extra time to India on 23 October 1971. Avtar scored Kenya's
goal.
|
 |
| |
PHOTO
GALLERY |
|
Zambabwe
Team 1985
|
|
|
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1955 - 56
Standing
(L to R): Tejinder Singh, Karamjit Singh, Surjeet Senior, Kuldip
Singh, Jasmer Singh, Avtar Singh, Gursaran
Singh, Amar Singh and Bachittar Singh.
Sitting:
Avtar Singh Deol. |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1957
Standing
(L to R): Surjeet Junior, Tejinder Singh, Harcharan Singh, Avtar
Singh, Pritam Singh, Balwant Singh and Kirpal Singh.
Siting
(L to R): Surjeet Senior, Swaraj Singh, Tek Singh (President),
Gursaran Singh and Amar Singh.
Ground
(L to R): Bachittar Singh and Hargobind Singh Grewal. |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1957 - 58
Winners of 1. Ujagar Singh Rai Cup, 2. Kesar Singh Cup, 3. Siri
Guru Gobind Singh Cup, 4. Aggarwal Cup.
Standing
(L to R): Pritam Singh, Karamjit Singh, Avtar Singh,
Surjit Singh Jr., Gurdev Singh, Bachittar Singh.
Sitting
(L to R): Gursaran Singh, T.S.Sehmi (Sports Secretary), Swaraj
Singh (Capt), Tek Singh (President), Amar Singh (Vice Capt),
Surjit Singh, Tejinder Singh.
Front:
Hargobind Singh & Hardev Singh.
Inset:
Kirpal Singh |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1959
Winners of M.R. D'Souza Gold Cup
Sitting
(L to R): Amar Singh, Gursaran Singh (Capt), Harbans Singh (President),
Hardial Singh (Coach), Surjeet Singh, Tejinder Singh (V. Capt).
Standing
(L to R): Gurdev Singh, Pritam Singh, Bachittar Singh, Avtar
Singh, Umarjit Singh, Kirpal Singh, Karamjit Singh.
Front
(L to R): Hargobind Singh Grewal, Krishan Aggarwal |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1962
Winners of M.R. D'Souza Gold Cup
Standing
(L to R): Bachittar, Hardev, Jagdish, Avtar,
Amarjit, Kulwant, Surjit Juttla, Gurdev Singh Sandhu.
Sitting
(L to R): Gursaran, Surjit Deol (Capt), Jaswant Singh (President),
Avtar Bamrah (Sports Secretary), Surjit 'Sind' (Vice Capt),
Amar.
Sitting
Below (L to R):Hargobind Singh Grewal, K.Aggarwal. |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1962/1963
Winners of Lalton Bros., Asian Sports Association, Golden Jubilee,
Kenya Cup and M.R. De Souza Gold Cup
Standing
(L to R): Bachittar, Gurdev, Amarjeet, Krishan, Jagdish, Kirpal,
Tarlochan.
Sitting
(L to R): Gursaran, Avtar (V.Capt), Mota Singh
(President), Avtar Bamrah (Sports Secretary), Amar (Captain),
Hari.
Ground
(L to R):Jack Simonian, Ivo Colaco.
Inset:
Surjeet Panesar |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1962 - 63
Winners of M.R. De Souza Hockey Gold Cup
Standing
(L to R): Harcharan Singh (Hari), Jagdish, Amarjeet, Bachittar,
Tarlochan.
Sitting
(L to R): Surjeet, Amar (Captain), Mota Singh (President), Avtar
(V. Capt), Gursaran.
Ground
(L to R):Krishan, Ivo Colaco.
Inset:
Kirpal |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1963 - 64
Winners of all Hockey Trophies in Kenya
Standing
(L to R): Kirpal Singh Bhardwaj, Amrik Singh Virdi, Davinder
Singh Degun, Tarlochan Singh Soor, Harwant Singh Mangat
Sitting
(L to R): Amar Singh Mangat, Avtar Singh Sohal,
Hardial Singh Kular, Tejparkash Singh Brar, Surjit Singh Panesar
' Junior' , Jack Simonian |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1963
Standing
(L to R): Bachittar Singh Sehmi; Gurdev Singh Sandhu; Amarjeet
Singh Dhak (Mega); Krishan Aggarwal; Jagdish Singh (Dishi);
Kirpal Singh Bhardwaj; Tarlochan Singh Soor (Tocha).
Sitting
(L to R): Gursaran Singh Sehmi (Chhani); Avtar Singh
Sohal (Vice Captain); Mota Singh (President), Avtar
Singh Bamrah (Comet) (Sports Secretary); Amar Singh Mangat (Captain);
Harcharan Singh (Hari).
Ground
(L to R): Jack Simonian & Ivo Colaco |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1964
Standing
(L to R): Tarlochan Singh Soor; Lakhbir Singh Dhesi; Krishan
Aggarwal; Jagdish Singh; Amar Singh Mangat; Phil Webber; Kirpal
Singh Bhardwaj; Surjeet Singh Panesar 'Junior'
Sitting
(L to R): Jasmer Singh; Avtar Singh Sohal; Hardial Singh Kular;
Tejparkash Singh Brar; Harcharan Singh Mangat
Ground
(L to R): Ivo Colaco & Jack Simonian |
|
Kenya
Olympic Team
1964 |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1965 - 66
Standing
(L to R): Harvant Singh, Tarlochan Singh, Lakhbir Singh, Davinder
Singh, Kirpal Singh, Bachitar Singh, Amrik Singh, Hilary Fernandes.
Sitting
(L to R): Surjit Panesar, Tejparkash Singh, Hardial Singh, Harcharan
Singh, Avtar Singh, Amar Singh |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1966
Standing
(L to R): Krishan Aggarwal; Tarlochan Singh Soor; Lakhbir Singh
Dhesi; Jagdish Singh; Phil Webber;
Sitting
(L to R): Kirpal Singh Bhardwaj; Tejparkash Singh Brar; Avtar
Singh Sohal; Surjeet Singh Panesar 'Junior' ; Amar
Singh Mangat;
Ground
(L to R): Ivo Colaco & Jack Simonian |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1970
Standing
(L to R): Tarlochan Singh Chana; Resham Singh Bains; Ravinder
Singh Laly; Harvinder Singh Marwa; Surjit Singh Rihal; Amarjeet
Singh Marwa
Sitting
(L to R): Surjeet Singh Junior; Avtar Singh Sohal (Captain);
Kulwant Singh Bawa (President); Jagjit Singh Kular (Vice Captain);
Davinder Singh Deegan |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1973
Standing
(L to R):
Sitting
(L to R): |
|
Sikh
Union, Nairobi
1973
Standing
(L to R): Rehal; Paali; Tarlochan Chana; Santokh Matharu; Surjit
Rehal; Jagmail Rooprai; Surinder Ghir.
Sitting
(L to R): Pritam Sandhu; Surjit Panesar; Avtar Bassan;
Avtar Sohal; Leo Frnandes |
|
Zambabwe
Team
1985 |
|
