Sikh Union Nairobi to host Vaisakhi Hockey from Sunday

Punjabis in general and Sikhs in particular have played a pioneer role in taking hockey to all continents. It is one reason that Sikhs have represented more than a dozen nations in various prestigious hockey tournaments, including Olympic Games, World Cups, Asian Games, African Games and Pan American Games.

There have been Sikh hockey players who had a podium finish for countries other than India in Olympic hockey competitions. Kulbir Bhaura is an example who had Olympic medals, including the gold at Seoul Olympics besides a medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Sutinder Keer had the distinction of leading England in his last World Cup match in Bombay in 1982.

Kulbir’s medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games becomes all the more credible as another player of Punjabi origin – Alexey Singh Grewal – won a gold medal in the 1984 km road race in cycling. Thus, Alexey became the first cyclist of Punjabi origin to win an individual Olympic gold. As history would have it, Alexey still remains the only individual Olympic gold medalist to marry on Indian soil. He married Manjit Kaur of Jabalpur and the marriage was solemnized in accordance with Sikh Rehat Maryada at a Jabalpur Gurdwara.

Sikh Diaspora – in sports – is again hawking media headlines. Four time Olympian and perhaps the only player to have led the national team in three Olympic Games, Avtar Singh Sohal, is the spirit behind organizing Vaisakhi Hockey Tournament.

The tournament, of which Avtar Singh Sohal, is the Director, will feature 32 matches , 16 each in the Masters or Veterans section. And 16 in the men’s section.

Teams from different continents are participating in the week-long tournament being organized by the Sikh Union Club, Nairobi. Incidentally, the Sikh Union Club that has given Kenya and Africa a large number of Olympians and internationals, is in its 98^th year of service to hockey in particular and Sikh Diaspora sports in general.

Del Mudher,  the General Secretary of the Vaisakhi Hockey Tournament, says that the tournament will be played on league basis. Top two teams in each section will play the finals on. April 22.

In the veterans’ section, teams from Malaysia  – Matador – and Sikh Union ( Sikh Union, London, UK) – are from Asia and Europe while the remaining five participating teams are Impala, Sikh Union Club (Nairobi), Blue Ocean Chiefs and Wazzalendo Veterans.

Former captain of Malaysia, Sarjit Singh will be representing Matador veterans. Matadors have also brought, young and strong team to challenge Punjab XI from Pakistan besides London Tigers from England.

Other participants are local teams – Sikh Union Club (Nairobi), Western Jaguars, and  Kenya Police.

In spite of best efforts by both Avtar Singh Sohal and Del Mudher, no team  from either Punjab (India) or Canada could be convinced to play at Nairobi, long remembered as a once nursery of international hockey that produced many Punjabi and Sikh players.

By Prabhjot Singh