Surjeet Singh Panesar
(Jr), Kenya’s four-time
Olympian passes away
by Dil Bahra
8 November 2019
Surjeet
Singh Panesar (Jr), affectionately known as Sindh, who represented Kenya at
four Olympic Games, died in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday 6 November 2019
following a short illness. He was aged 81.
Sindh
was born on 24 June 1938 in Nairobi, Kenya. His parents had emigrated to Kenya
from India in 1919.
He
studied at Duke of Gloucester School in Nairobi and went to India for further
studies in 1954. He studied at Maharaja Patiala Public School and Patiala
University. He played hockey for his school and university teams and during
school holidays he played for Mohindra College. Harbail Singh, the legendary
Indian Team Coach, who had coached India’s Gold Medal winning teams at Helsinki
1952 and Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and who was his college coach, took him
under his wings and had a big
influence in his hockey. He also played football at school and university.
On
returning to Kenya in 1957, he joined Sikh Union Nairobi, a Club which his
father, Mr Balwant Singh Lalton, a very active sportsman, had a very deep
association with
– he was one of the founders of Khalsa Club which
later became Sikh Union Club.
Sindh
represented Sikh Union Nairobi from 1957 to 1980, winning the Ujjager Singh Rai
Cup; Kesar Singh Cup; Siri Guru Gobind Singh Cup and Aggarwal Cup in the 1957 –
58 season. He was a member of the Club’s team that won the M R D’Souza Gold Cup
for a record thirteen times.
He
represented the Asian Sports Association and was a member of the team that won
the Kenya Cup in 1958.
Surjeet
Junior seated 1st left with Sikh
Union Nairobi Team 1970
He was selected to represent
Nairobi X1 against England at City Park Stadium, Nairobi on 19 September 1958
and the following year he continued representing Nairobi X1 as a centre forward
in the matches against India in Kenya.
He
was selected to represent Kenya National team at the East African Championships
(Rahim Jivraj Trophy) in Nairobi in May 1960 and earned his first international
cap when he played against Uganda on 29 May 1960. Playing as a centre forward,
he scored two goals on his debut, in Kenya’s 4 – 0 win and helped his team win
the Championship for the second year running.
From
that moment he became a regular for the National team, playing as a centre
forward and was selected for Rome 1960 Olympic Games. He played in the 3 Test
match series against Pakistan in Nairobi on the way to the Olympics.
Following
the East African Championships held in Zanzibar in 1962 and retirement of
Surjeet Singh Deol (Sr), Sindh took over the pivotal position of centre half
and this is the position where he excelled. He played at Tokyo 1964 Olympic
Games and started as a centre half at Mexico 1968 Olympic Games. An injury to the left back and captain of the Kenya team
after only two matches at Mexico forced Sindh to take up the position of left
full back for the rest of these Games.
Surjeet Junior
standing 1st left with the Kenyan Team that toured India in April
1964.
On 27 April 1964 this team
defeated India 0 – 3 in Jabalpur, this being India’s biggest defeat at that
time in 184 internationals. Six months later, India won the Gold at Tokyo
Olympics and Kenya finished 6th – her best Olympic Games
position.
He was selected to represent
Kenya at the first Hockey World Cup in Barcelona in 1971 where Kenya reached
the semi-finals.
At
Munich 1972 Olympic Games, Sindh played as right back. He retired from playing
international hockey after these Games. At the Munich Olympics he became the
first player to have played 31 matches, a record he held until 1988 when he was
joined by Australia’s Richard Charlesworth. They both held this record until
the London Olympic Games. The Rules of Hockey have changed over the years. The Substitutes rule only came into existence in
1972 and now the rolling subs rule is in play.
He
was one of three Kenyans to have played at four Olympic Games - Alu Mendonca
and Avtar Singh Sohal being the others.
Surjeet Junior, standing 4th
from left, with the Kenya Team at the 1st World Cup in Barcelona,
Spain in 1971. Kenya finished fourth.
TRIBUTES
Avtar
Singh Sohal (Tari), Kenya’s captain
from 1962 - 1972 said “We were both very close friends and played
together for many years for Sikh Union Club and for Kenya and both of us
groomed many youngsters for the club. We were one in hockey and I will
personally miss him as my very good friend and great hockey colleague.
Condolences to our dear family.”
Surjit
Singh Rihal, Kenya’s captain from
1973 – 81 paid this tribute “It was an honour to have played along with
a great legend who inspired a lot of youngsters, including me, with his
graceful stick work in Kenya to play and love hockey. I admired and learned his style of scooping
the ball. In 1969 l came back to Kenya after studying in India and joined the
famous Sikh Union Club Nairobi so that l could play along with him. I took his
position as centre half and he moved to right back position. Playing here at
Sikh Union gave me a chance to learn
more from his knowledge of hockey. We then played together for Sikh Union and
Kenya in the 1971 World Cup and 1972
Munich Olympic Games. I admire him for his love for sports especially hockey
and the respect he showed to all, both young and old people. I met him for the
last time last year here in London along with many other Sikh Union players who
had played together in the World Cup and Olympic Games with him. We will miss
him but he will stay in the hearts of everyone.”
Raphael Fernandes, former
Kenyan Olympian who now lives in Canada paid this tribute “Sindh was an Officer & a Gentleman – very soft spoken - and a
Handsome
Personality with a dynamic International Etiquette and a Stylish Dress
code! He was always the main attraction on the field – as he portrayed his Love
/ Discipline / Respect for the sport – with his Mastery / Brilliance / Skill /
Experience / Expertise & Sportsmanship! He was my mentor and he always
referred to me as “My Son” who has the longest strides with exhibition
stick-work – but in reality I learned all the Golden Rules from the Master
himself - and always tried to portray him!”
Davinder
Singh Deegan, former Kenyan Olympian
said “When I joined Sikh Union Club in 1965, Sindhi was the one who used
to encourage me all the time. He was my pillar of strength when I started
playing for Kenya. We played for Sikh Union and Kenya from 1965 to 1978.
Throughout this time we were very close. He was a very honest and helpful
gentleman should go out of his way to help anyone. We were roommates on many
occasions on our tours and he was a fantastic roommate. He was a unique player
who could play in any position.”
Cyprian
Fernandes, journalist and author,
who now lives in Australia, paid this tribute “When I saw Junior player
for the first time, at centre-half for the Sikh Union I was like a stunned
mullet. I had watched the visiting Indian, Pakistani and other visiting teams
but I had never seen anyone take total command of a game as the supremo Junior
did. He played hockey like he was
weaving with a
pair of knitting needles - he weaved between players,
around players, found tiny crevasses in a closely packed defensive line and a
flicked pass to the right or left or straight through the middle, especially to
the right to Hilary Fernandes, and the
move breached the defensive wall and Kenya was once again close to the D and
poised dangerously for a goal. The very famous Hardial Singh once told me that
the players were the ones that bent over and played close to the ground and yet
had the ability to spring and watch what was happening in front of them or on
either side. Junior was close to the ground, very close to the ground. I always
marvelled at watching Junior in action.”
Ajmal Malik, former Kenyan Olympian, now residing in Islamabad,
Pakistan said “Sindh was not only a great hockey player, but also a
great colleague and friend. He was always there to help and provide guidance
and advice on improving your hockey skills. During overseas tours he was always
concerned about the well-being of his fellow players. He was a thorough
gentleman with subtle sense of humour which always kept our spirits high.”
Hilary
Fernandes former Kenyan Olympian,
now residing in Toronto, Canada said “We were team mates in the Kenya
National team for almost 13 years, representing the Country in almost all the
matches that Kenya played during this period, at home and abroad. We played
three Olympic Games together. What a pleasure it was playing alongside a very
talented and gifted young hockey player. He made life easy for all of us on the
field with his support and encouragement. He was capable of playing in any
position if called upon, but was a star when he played in his preferred
position as centre-half. He was in the driver’s seat and feared no opposition.
I also had the privilege and pleasure of playing with him from 1965 – 1969 for
one of the best hockey teams in the country – Sikh Union Club Nairobi. He was a
well-groomed
guy who
wouldn’t take any nonsense from anyone when he was on the field, he was in
command and full of confidence.”
Silu
Fernandes, former
Kenyan Olympian, now residing in Toronto, Canada had this to say: “My friend and team mate Surjeet Jr. dazzled the world of
hockey, both on and off the field at the Olympics in Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City
and Munich and Test matches in India, Pakistan and at home in Kenya.
Showmanship and style were the undiluted essence of his life on and off the
field and puts him right up there on the ranking of the world’s top sportsmen
...most certainly on mine ! Our team mates, here in Toronto, Hillary, Raphael
and Leo Fernandes, Norman da Costa and I were very fortunate to meet up with
the Maestro during his short visit in April of last year.”
Amarjeet
Singh Marwa, former Kenyan Olympian
said “I joined Sikh Union & the Kenya National Hockey teams in 1965
& met Surjeet for the first time. I was immediately captivated by his
dedication, fitness & skill. He was a master class playmaker & during
my playing career at Sikh Union, we lost only one game out of hundreds we
played, sweeping all the tournaments, thanks to Surjeet & Avtar's help in
defence. It was the same with the National team in World Cups & Olympic Games. Surjeet was our guiding light for the
young players & he was always helpful on & off the field. I am greatly
honoured to have played with him. In the summer of 2018 in London, I, with some
of my Olympic colleagues, had the opportunity of meeting him for the last time
when we talked about our hockey conquests! We all will miss him greatly.”
Harvinder
Singh Sibia, former Kenyan Olympian,
now residing in the UK said “Surjeet Panesar - An amazing player with
captivating skills, immense technical know - how with a gentle and polite
demeanour to all those who came into contact with him. I had the opportunity to
play alongside him and found his tips and encouragement very illuminating. A
great player who stood among the best in the world.”
Jack
Simonian, former Kenyan Olympian,
now residing in the UK paid this tribute: “Sindhi, as he was popularly
known, was a good friend of mine throughout my long period at Sikh / Simba
Union in Nairobi. I am proud to describe him as a well- meaning character who
would never have a negative word to say about anyone! "Rare at any
time". At Hockey, he was a "Gentle Wizard" with his stick work
and distribution of the ball to penetrative movements. He really understood the
meaning of "The Craft of Hockey" by listening to people like our
Mahan Singh and others from India who were on hand to advise in his maturing
ages. To have listened and accepted the advice given shows, in my opinion,
"Humbleness". I am proud to have known him and will miss his presence.”
Edgar
Fernandes, former Kenyan Olympian,
now residing in Melbourne, Australia paid this tribute: “Sindhi as he
was affectionately known, was in my opinion, the greatest centre-half of his
era, in the world. He was a player of great distinction, dedicated, determined,
and it was a pleasure to play with him in my time, including the Rome and Tokyo
Olympics. But as a person he exuded an air of confidence, was always impeccably
dressed, had a great sense of humour, very friendly, courteous, and extremely
helpful. He will always be remembered for not only his exceptional
ability in
Hockey but also his outstanding personality. He was one of the greatest hockey
players of Kenya.”
Norman
Dacosta, former hockey correspondent
of Daily Nation (Kenya), now residing in Canada, had this to say: “Sindhi
was a field hockey icon and I had the unique opportunity of playing against him
for the Railway Goan Institute and also reporting on, who in my opinion was one
of the greatest centre-halves of his era that included some extraordinary
Indians and Pakistanis. Off the field he was a dapper individual with a sense
of good clothing and an immaculate beard and turban. I was fortunate enough to
meet Surjeet in Toronto and later in Nairobi in 2018 and visit his beautiful
home that he designed. And his garden was something to behold. Apart from his
exploits on the field, Surjeet was a great cook and his chicken koroga was out
of this world.”
(published on
Monday 8 November 2019)
Comments