Sikh Diaspora and sports : Sikh Union is out to revive lost glory in sports

Olympian Avtar Singh needs no introduction. He is a legend. He not only represented Kenya in four Olympics Games, captaining the team in three, he has now taken upon himself the onerous task of reviving the Sikh Diaspora in Kenya once enjoyed in the world of sports. Age is no deterrent for him. At 85, he still works whole day to make sure that the Vaisakhi Hockey Tournament being organised by Sikh Union, Nairobi, goes flawless. As Director of the Tournament, he is at the venue early in the morning and is invariably the last person to leave. Starting April 16, there are four to six matches each day featuring both men and veteran teams.

Though Avtar Singh Sohal and his confidant Del Mudher are leaving nothing to chance, they have somewhere inside their minds a  regret that in spite of best of their efforts, teams from Punjab (both India and Pakistan)  could not make it to Nairobi.

While Indian Punjab sat on the invitation and repeated reminders, its Pakistan counter did everything but had to withdraw at the last moment as the team could not find a sponsor for its air travel to Kenya. Avtar Singh Sohal, Del Mudher and the entire Sikh Union Club had been working tirelessly to provide free 5 star board and lodging, travel and other facilities. Teams from England  and Malaysia have added colour, glamour and competitiveness to the event that is being played on league-cum-knock out basis. Besides teams from overseas, there are five local teams competing in the week-long event. Kenya police, a strong local challenger, has  had a mixed luck in the matches so far.

Sikh Union Club, once the nursery of Kenyan Hockey, has been set in revival mode by Avtar Singh Sohal and Del Mudher. Supported by the current management of Sikh Union Club heading for its centenary celebrations in a couple of years from now. Sikh Union Club had the foundation stone of its current Club building laid in 1934. It has now a floodlit astroturf as well as an international standard cricket ground. It has produced 26 hockey Olympians besides several world cuppers. In cricket, it has been a mainstay of East African cricket.

Olympian Sarjit Singh from Malaysia has brought a young team besides representing the veterans. Called Matadors, the two Malaysian teams – men and veterans – are a blend of experienced and promising players. Though Matadors are placed at the bottom with three defeats in as many games, they have proveda point that young Malaysians have not lost their accumen and sharp skills that has kept their national teams on a high in the world of hockey. In the veterans section, the Matadors are placed fourth.

The hosts Sikh Union are at present on top of the table both in me and veteran sections. The locals defeated visiting Malaysians 4-3 in a close and absorbing game and also the visiting London Tigers 5-1. Mainstay of the Sikh Union is Yuvraj Walmiki, a former Indian international. Walmiki celebrated his elevation as national selector back home with his superb scoring in both the games.

Jaguars, another local team, surprised Kenyan Police, a strong team, 3-0 and also Matador 3-2 to share top of the table position with Sikh Union.

Kenyan Police has won two of its three games so far and is in the running for a place in Saturday’s final. Kenyan Police had beaten both Matador (2-0) and London Tigers (3-0) after losing to Jaguars.

In the veterans section, the hosts Sikh Union with two wins from as many games are at the top.

Some of the participants have played for Kenya but subsequently moved to the United Kingdom. But their bonds with Nairobi remain strong and intact.

The standard of hockey witnessed in the games played so far has been overwhelming.

It is only the beginning, says Avtar Singh Sohal, who has been drawing tremendous support from his group of long time friends like Swaran Singh,   Gurbux Flora, Gurdeep Singh Flora, Nima, Tochi., Munna Bansal and Sehmi, besides several others.

Prabhjot Singh