Four-time Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal brings Kenyan young hockey players to Malaysia

By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |

Octogenarian Avtar Singh Sohal has big dreams of putting Sikh players back into the Kenyan men’s international field hockey team.

Once upon a time, Sikhs made a substantial part of the East African nation whose best performance was when they emerged fourth in the Hockey World Cup in 1971.

As part of the mission, Avtar, fondly known as Tari, is leading 22 young and thriving Sikh junior hockey players and team officials from Kenya to watch the Junior World Cup now going in Kuala Lumpur. At the same time, the team is also playing some friendly matches.

“In the 60s and 70s, Kenya were a formidable team in the world and we did well in our first World Cup in Barcelona in 1971 to finish fourth.

“We used to have a lot of Sikhs representing Kenya’s national team in the past but today we don’t even have a single Sikh player in the national team,” Avtar told the New Straits Times.

Avtar, 85, played hockey for Kenya at four Olympic Games, from 1960-72. He captained the team in 1964, 1968, and 1972, and was also the Kenyan captain at the 1st World Cup of hockey in Barcelona in 1971. He as also involved in one Olympic as head coach and another Olympic as a FIH judge.

Yesterday (11 December 2023), officials and players from the Sikh Union Club Nairobi team were feted at the Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya (GSPJ) to an afternoon tea.

The event brought together former Malaysian hockey captain Sarjit Singh and Avtar, two Olympians who dominated hockey scene for a number of years.

Also present were former Malaysian Vice Captain Maninderjit Singh, former Malaysian hockey players Surinder Singh and Avtar Singh Gill and veteran player Captain Jasbir Singh.

Early this year, Matador Club of Malaysia had taken veteran and Junior teams to Nairobi to participate in the Vaisakhi Cup Hockey Tournament. The two Clubs have now decided for regular exchange of visits for promoting hockey at sub junior and junior level.

Almost all members of the visiting Sikh Union Club are turban wearing boys with 12-year-old Harwinder Singh as while youngest while two members of the Kenyan team that played in the Junior World Cup qualifier are also accompanying the delegation.

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