By: Dan
Worth Noting:
- The event of the legendary hockey player was coordinated by the Liason Officer of the Sikh Union Club, Mr. Malkit Singh Main – EBS was graced by Amb. (Dr.) Amina C. Mohamed Cabinet Secretary Sports, Heritage & Culture, Kenya as the Chief Guest of Honour on March 1, 2022.
- Other high ranking guests were High Commissioner for Pakistan – Her Excellency Saqlain Syedah, 1st Secretary of the Indian High Commission – Subhash Goyal and Chairman of Sikh Union – Baljit Singh Virdi among others.
- CS Mohamed while celebrating Tari said was honored to join others during the “Lifetime Achievement Exhibition” on Avtar Singh Sohal.
After decades of spectacular career in sports Kenya hero and Olympian, Mr. Avtar Singh Sohal affectionately known as Tari, celebrated His Lifetime Achievements at the prestigious Sikh Union Club Nairobi.
Tari’s celebration started by walking in company of his wife Ripudaman Kaur Sohal majestically through a guard of honour of raised hockey sticks mounted by former and current Kenyan internationals on the green tartan pitch.
The legendary later walked through a well-lit Sikh Union club’s corridors to a photo exhibition that drew memories spanning six decades as hockey player, coach and umpire.
The event of the legendary hockey player was coordinated by the Liason Officer of the Sikh Union Club, Mr. Malkit Singh Main – EBS was graced by Amb. (Dr.) Amina C. Mohamed Cabinet Secretary Sports, Heritage & Culture, Kenya as the Chief Guest of Honour on March 1, 2022.
Other high ranking guests were High Commissioner for Pakistan – Her Excellency Saqlain Syedah, 1st Secretary of the Indian High Commission – Subhash Goyal and Chairman of Sikh Union – Baljit Singh Virdi among others.
CS Mohamed while celebrating Tari said was honored to join others during the “Lifetime Achievement Exhibition” on Avtar Singh Sohal.
“I am honored to join you today, as we celebrate our hero and Olympian, Mr. Avtar Singh Sohal,” CS Amina said.
The CS said Tari’s achievements rest on the strong foundations that were established by past sporting legends such as Bakhtawar Singh, Mahan Singh Sandhu, Hakam Singh Brar and Balwant Singh Panesar.
She attributed his achievements to his discipline and self-sacrifice.
“His discipline and self-sacrifice, has seen him achieve personal best records during his career and his passion for sports, has facilitated the development of the game of hockey in Kenya.”
In addition, she appreciated the role that the Sikh Union club continues to play in the advancement of sports in Kenya, and in the development of our community.
“The Sikh Union club has produced numerous Olympians and world cup players, and has put the country on the world map. Additionally, the Sikh community has distributed up to 350 tonnes of rations, to help feed the less fortune in our society.”
Mr. Avtar Singh Sohal was born in Nairobi in 1938 to the late Pyara Singh and Parmesari Kaur Sohal and married his loved of lifetime Ripudaman Kaur Sohal in 1942.
While Tari took to stage he started by thanking God and his beloved country Kenya.
“I thank Waheguru (the almighty God) for blessing me with all those that he put into my life that helped me make history not only myself, but also for my beautiful country Kenya, which I owe my very life too,” said Avtar.
Tari urged the club to preserve and record other great hockey contributions to inspire coming generations.
“I want the club and others to ensure that such history that I made together with other hockey greats of Kenya is recorded and preserved to serve as inspiration to coming generations who will hopefully continue to build on our legendary status as a great sporting nation, “said Tari.
Avtar the Legend’s career path
Avtar Singh Sohal ~ The Legend Affectionately known as Tari the world over, is a veteran of six Olympic Games, four as a player, one as Head Coach and one as FIH Judge and has been involved in hockey all his life. After playing for City Primary School and Duke of Gloucester School Nairobi, he joined Sikh Union Club Nairobi and gained his first international cap for Kenya when he was selected to play against South Africa at the age of 19 in 1957.
He was a member of Sikh Union Club Nairobi when the Club won the M R D’Souza Gold Cup in Kenya for the first time in 1959. He went on to win the Gold Cup for a record 12 times with Sikh Union Club Nairobi.
The following year he was selected for the Rome 1960 Olympic Games. He was appointed as the National Team captain in 1962 for a Test series against Pakistan and he led Kenya for a period of 10 years during which time Kenya were amongst the best teams in the World and they played India and Pakistan regularly, both home and away.
He captained the Kenya Olympic teams at Tokyo 1964, Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972 and was also captain at the 1st World Cup in Barcelona in 1971 where Kenya finished fourth, narrowly losing 1 – 2 after extra time to India in the Bronze medal match.
Tari was cited in the Guinness Book of Records “The most appearances in an international hockey career (male) was achieved by Avtar Singh Sohal (Kenya) with 167 appearances between 1957 and 1972”
After retiring from playing, Tari took over coaching and was Kenya’s & Sikh Union Coach from 1978 to 1988. He went to his fifth Olympics as the Kenya head coach at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.
In addition to coaching, he took up Umpiring and was awarded his FIH international Umpires badge in 1980.He was appointed on FIH’s Development and Coaching Committee in 1988 and was a Judge at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games.
He was awarded the International Hockey Federation’s ‘Diploma of Merit’ for 18 years distinguished services rendered to Hockey by Juan Angel Calzado, President of the FIH in 2000.
Tari attributes all the immense success he and the Club have had to all his fellow players, peers and well-wishers without whom he would not have scaled such heights.
Career Timeline (1969 – 2019)
1938: Born in Nairobi to Pyara Singh & Parmesari Kaur Sohal
1945: Aged 7, City Primary School, Nairobi
1948: Aged 10, Watched Dhyan Chand & Manna Singh, took up hockey
1952: Aged 14, Joined Duke of Gloucester High School, Nairobi
1955: Aged 17, Selected to play for Sikh Union Club Nairobi
1957: Aged 19, 1st International match British Kenya v S. Africa in Nairobi
1958: British Kenya team Member Asian Sports Association Cup
1959: Aged 21, Won M. R. D’Souza Gold Cup (1st time in Sikh Union Club history)
: British Kenya v Indian (Nbi)
: Kenya team Member, Winners of E. A. Hockey Championship (Kampala)
: British Kenya v Rhodesia (Nbi)
1960: Aged 22, Rome Olympics (1st)
: British Kenya v Pakistan (Nairobi)
: E.A. Championships (Nairobi) Winner with British Kenyan team
1961: British Kenya tour to Rhodesia
1962: Aged 24, Selected British Kenya Captain
: British Kenya v Pakistan (Nairobi)
: E.A. Championships (Zanzibar) Winner, British Kenya
1963: E.A. Championships (Moshi, TZ)
Winner as Captain of British Kenya
1964: Kenya Captain Tokyo Olympics (2nd)
: Kenya’s Tour of India as Captain
1965: Aged 26, Captain, Sikh Union Club, Won all Cups in East Africa for 6 years
: E.A. Championships (Kampala) Winner as Captain of Kenya
1966: Kenya’s Tour of Europe as Captain
: E.A. Championships (Nairobi)
Winner as Captain of Kenya
1967: E.A. Championships (Dar, TZ)
Winner as Captain of Kenya
1968: Kenya Captain Mexico Olympics (3rd)
: Pre-Olympic Tour of Pakistan & India
: E.A. Championships (Kampala) Winner as Captain of Kenya
1969: E.A. Championships (Dar, TZ) Winner as Captain of Kenya
: National Captain Tour India & Pakistan
1970: E.A. Championships (Nairobi)
: Winner as Captain of Kenya
: Kenya Captain, Touring Pakistan Side
1971: Aged 33, Kenya Captain 1st World Cup (Barcelona, Spain)
: African Championship (Zambia) Winner as Captain of Kenya
1972: Kenya Captain 4th Olympics (Munich) Aged 34 – Retired from Int. Hockey
1973: Aged 35, KHU Assistant Kenya Coach 2nd World Cup (Holland)
1974: Assistant Kenya Coach, Pakistan Tour of Kenya
1975: Sikh Union Player & Coach,Tour of India & Europe
1978: Sikh Union Club Player Coach
Tour of South America Aged 40 – Retired, Playing Hockey
1979: Kenya Coach, Tour of Australia & Far East Entered Guinness Book of Records (Most international’s Caps 167)
1980: Kenya Coach, India & Pakistan Tour of Kenya
1982: Kenya Coach, Tour, Malaysia, Singapore & Pakistan
1983: Kenya Coach, Tour of Americas & UK
1984: Aged 46, 5th Olympics (Los Angeles) Chief Kenya Coach
1985: Kenya Coach, Intercontinental Cup, Barcelona
1986: Started FIH Accreditation Courses (Coaching & Judging)
1987: Aged 49, 1st FIH delegation, Judge, Indra Gandhi Int. Tournament, Delhi All Africa Games Ass. Director, Nbi
1988: Aged 50, FIH Judge, 6th Olympics (Seoul)
: Kenya Coach, Tour of India
: FIH Judge, Champions Trophy, Lahore
1990: Coach, Africa Hockey Federation 1st Continental Cup, Malaysia FIH Judge, BMW International Trophy, (Amsterdam, Holland)
1991: Kenya Coach, Tour of India & Pakistan Kenya Coach, 5th All African Games (Egypt)
1992: FIA Delegate, Junior Men’s World Cup, (Lahore, Pakistan) Kenya Coach, Indra Gandhi Gold Cup (Delhi)
1993: Head Coach Indonesia Men & Women’s National Team Southeast Asia Games (Indonesia) 1994: FIA Technical Judge, 7th Indra Gandhi Int. Tournament (Lucknow, India) FIA Technical Judge, World Cup (Sydney, Australia)
1995: Zimbabwe Head Coach
6th All African Games (Zimbabwe) Head Coach Hong Kong Men & Women’s National Team
1996: Head Coach Zimbabwe Africa Cup Nations (SA)
1998: FIH Delegate, Marshall Cup (Nbi) FIH Judge, Champ. Trophy (Lahore)
1999: Kenya Head Coach (Men & Women) 7th All African Games (South Africa)
2000: Awarded FIH Diploma of Merit
2001: FIH Judge, 1st Champions Challenge (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Kenya Coach, Int. Tournament (Egypt)
2002: Aged 64, Retired from KHU
2005: Head of State Commendation (H.S.C.) Given by President Mwai Kibaki
2006: Retired from FIH duties Sikh Union Club 75th Anniversary Organising Committee Member
2013: Coach, Friends School, Kamusinga, Western Kenya (Until 2019)
2016: Sikh Union Club Astro Committee Fundraising Drive in England
2019: Launch of new Astro Pitch at S.U.C.
2020: Coach, Sikh Union Club Nairobi Tigers
2021: Recipient of Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (O.G.W)
Career journey Compiled by Del Mudher historical facts by Dil Bahra additional reporting