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highlights of Sikh’s involvement: |
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One hundred
and thirty two Sikhs
have played hockey at Olympic Games since 1928 - representing
nine countries (Canada, Great Britain, Hong Kong,
India,
Kenya,
Malaysia, Singapore, Tanzania
and Uganda).
Members
of nine Gold medal teams (8 India and 1 Great Britain), one
Silver medal team (India) and three Bronze medal teams (2
India and 1 Great Britain). |
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1932
Helsinki Olympics:
Gurmit
Singh Kullar, first Sikh to score an Olympic goal.
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1956
Melbourne Olympics:
Balbir Singh, first
Sikh to captain India.
Surjeet Singh Deol
captain of Kenya.
Udham Singh,
top scorer with 15 goals.
Gian Singh
(India) and
Mahan Singh
(Kenya) in the umpires panel. |
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1968
Mexico City Olympics:
13 Sikhs in Indian team with
Prithipal
and
Gurbux
as joint captains. 9 Sikhs in the Kenyan team
captained by
Avtar Singh Sohal.
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1972 Munich Olympics:
30
Sikhs represented India, Kenya, Uganda and Malaysia.
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India
vs Kenya match had 15 Sikh players on the field
at the same time (10 for Kenya and 5 for India)
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Two Sikh captains -
Harmik Singh
(India) and
Avtar Singh Sohal
(Kenya).
India
won 3 - 2, all five goals by Sikhs.
Sikhs
scored 35 goals at Munich. |
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Sikh Hockey Internationals: |
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We
currently have records that show Sikhs have represented
13 countries at hockey, viz: Canada, England, Great
Britain, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia,
Scotland, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda and USA. Information
of any other countries which Sikhs have represented
will be most appreciated, in particularly from Fiji,
Indonesia, Liberia, Thailand and Zambia |
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MR
D'Souza Gold Cup Winners
The
premier tournament in East Africa was the
M.R.
D’ Souza Gold Cup organized by The Kenya
Goan Sports Association. The annual tournament attracted the
world's best teams. Sikh Union Nairobi won the tournament
for the first time in 1959 and retained the cup for numerous
years. Click the link for a list of past winners.
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Photo
of the month - February 2012 |
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1972 Munich Olympic Games.
Photo courtsey of Morley Pecker
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Olympic Records: |
Sikh
players are the holders of the following Olympic
Games records:
The
record of the most goals scored in an Olympic
final is in the hands of India's
Balbir Singh 'Senior',
who scored five goals in Helsinki on 24th
July 1952 when India defeated Holland 6 -1.
India's
Ajit Singh
scored the fastest goal in Olympic history
when he scored after only 15 seconds in the
opening match in Montreal 1976 against Argentina
on 18th July 1976.
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Balbir Singh 'Senior'
and Dhyan Chand hold the record of winning three consective
Olympic Gold medals and being the Captain of a winning
team.
Complete
World Cup Results are now on the website showing all
Sikh players and Officials who played in the 11 World
Cups since 1971. |
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When
Indra Gandhi Asked:
‘WHY SIKH PLAYERS ONLY?’
An
extract from Mr Ashwani Kumar’s speech made at a function
on 25 April 2006 at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi to felicitate
the top 10 Sikh hockey Olympians of India. I was present
at this function which was attended by the National press
of India and several Olympians.
Dil Bahra
“In 1974 when I was an Inspector-General in the Border
Security Force I received a call from the Prime Minister’s
Office that Mrs Indira Gandhi wanted to see me urgently
that evening.
“I was on an inspection visit to some border posts
in Kashmir near Gulmarg. I was stunned at this SOS from
the PMO. A chopper flew me from Gulmarg to Srinagar from
where I took a regular flight of the Indian Airlines to
New Delhi.
“I could not guess the reason for the summons. There
was not much happening in either the Border Security Force
or Jammu and Kashmir. Anyway, I reached Delhi and went to
call on the Prime Minister at the appointed time.
“After a formal exchange of greetings, I mustered
some courage to ask the Prime Minister: ’Madam, you
asked for me. Is there anything specific?’
“No, nothing much. The only reason I have called you
here is to tell you that the Education Minister recently
pointed out to me that you have been recruiting too many
Sikh hockey players,’ said Mrs Gandhi.
“I kept quiet though I was very upset. I returned
to the guest house and signed my letter of resignation from
the presidentship of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF)
and sent it immediately to the then President of the Indian
Olympic Association, Raja Bhalendra Singh. All my friends
in sports in general and hockey in particular advised me
against this step. But I was determined. I had so much faith
and trust in my hockey players, most of whom were Sikhs.
I could not have left them down.
“The contribution of Sikhs to Indian hockey has always
been immense and I salute them.”
Mr
Ashwani Kumar is a well known Sports administration. He
was Deputy Chef de Mission at the 1956 Olympic Games and
Chef de Mission in 1960 and 1964 and at the Commonwealth
Games in 1954, 1958 and 1970; head of the Indian hockey
delegation at the Olympic Games in 1964 and 1968; President
of the Indian Hockey Federation for 16 years; former Secretary
General of the Indian Olympic Association; member of the
Commonwealth Games Federation and of the Asian Games Federation;
Vice-President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH)
for more than 15 years; President of the Indian Basketball
Federation; President of the Punjab Olympic Association
(12 years); elected Life President of the Indian Olympic
Association.
His IOC History reads as follows: Member of the IOC from
1973 to 2000; Honorary Member since 2000; member of the
Executive Board (1980-1987, 1992-1996); Vice-President of
the IOC (1983- 1987); member of the following Commissions:
Olympic Solidarity (1980-1984), Olympic Movement (1983-1987,
1992-1996), Mass Media (1983-1989), preparation of the XII
Olympic Congress – Congress of Unity (1985-1987),
Radio (1983-1987), Council of the Olympic Order (1983-1987);
security delegate (1983-2001)
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