Sikhs in Hockey at Olympic Games

Dil Bahra, Bexleyheath, UK

Please send any observations/comments to Dilbahra@aol.com

Any updates, missing information and photographs will be most appreciated

About me

Diljit Singh (Dil) Bahra

I was born in Maji Mazuri, Kenya on 8th January 1950 and studied at Menengai High School, Nakuru. I played hockey for the school team and Nakuru Rangers, a club run by Harvinder Singh Marwa, who was a Kenyan International at the time and went on to represent Kenya at the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

	I immigrated to the United Kingdom in May 1967 and joined the British Army the following year. I served with the Royal Engineers in UK, Germany, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Kenya. I played hockey for various Army units and represented the Army team in Cyprus. I was also a member of the famous Exiles Hockey Club in Cyprus in the early seventies.
British Police Hockey Team 1992

On leaving the Armed Services I joined the Metropolitan Police Force, London in April 1975. During my 32 years police service, I was involved in hockey as a player, coach, team manager, umpire, liaison officer and an administrator.

In 1981, I formed the British Police Hockey Team and was the Team Coach / Manager for a period of 15 years.

I have been involved in hockey at National, European and World level. I was on the organising committee for the World Cup in London in 1986. I am a technical officer for England Hockey and was the Media Officer for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the Junior World Cup in 1997, Women’s Olympic Qualifier in 2000, Men’s Champions Trophy in Cologne, Germany in 2002 and the Women’s Champions Challenge in Catania, Italy in 2003.

Post match Press Conference,
India v Pakistan at Champions Trophy,
Cologne 2002

In March 1995 I was awarded The Hockey Association National Award of Merit 'for outstanding service to the game at National level'.

	In April 2006, I was invited to be on a Judging panel in New Delhi to select the top 10 ‘Sardars of Hockey’. Balbir Singh Senior was judged as the top ‘Sardar of Hockey’.
With India's Balbir Singh Senior

I have travelled to India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, USA, Chile and most of the European countries covering hockey. I retired from the police service in January 2007.
	With FIH President Els Van Breda Vriesman in Catania during Women's Champions Challenge in 2003

	I am currently the Hon. Secretary of the Hockey Writers’ Club (international membership) and the Media Overseers co-ordinator for the AIPS Hockey commission and the Hockey Writers’ Club. I am on the England Hockey Archive Steering Group.
Hockey Writers' Club at Champions Trophy in Chennai in 2005

Website:

In January 2005, I was invited to be a member of the Vaisakhi in London Steering group and given the task of identifying all Sikh Olympians living in the UK.

The theme for Mayor of London’s Vaisakhi celebrations in 2005 was to celebrate the achievements of Sikh Olympians and support London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

As a result of my intensive research, with assistance from Patrick Rowley, Bill Colwill OBE and Peter Luck of Hockey Writers’ Club, I was able to compile a list of all Sikh Olympians and establish that most of the Sikh Olympians living in the UK were hockey players though there were also three wrestlers and a weightlifter. I went to the IOC Library in Lausanne to conduct part of my research.
On Sunday 24th April 2005 London saw the biggest ever gathering of Sikh Olympians at the third annual festival of Vaisakhi, a celebration of hugh significance for the Sikh community, held in Trafalgar Square.

Players to grace the occasion included the legendary Indian centre forward Balbir Singh Senior, a triple gold medallist, and India’s winning Captain in 1956 Melbourne Olympics and Avtar Singh Sohal, who played in four Olympics and was Kenya captain three times.

The gathering had Sikhs Olympians from 1948 London Olympics right up to Athens Olympics. They had participated in fifteen Olympic Games between them, representing Great Britain, India, Kenya and Uganda.

And most of all my wife Pami and daughters Jasmeet & Sukdeep for their support, encouragement, help and co-operation.