CHANDIGARH (TIP): Ripudaman Kaur Sohal (83), wife of one of the most well-represented hockey Olympians, Avtar Singh Sohal, breathed her last at a Mohali hospital. She was admitted to the hospital for a few days for low back surgery. Surgery was to be performed on Wednesday morning.
Kenya-born Avtar Singh Sohal represented his country in four consecutive Olympic Games as a hockey player. In three of these games, he captained Kenya. He then accompanied the Kenyan Olympic hockey team as a coach in the fifth games; His sixth Olympic representation was as an official of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Ripudaman Kaur Sohal originally belonged to Chandigarh. Sohals have an apartment in Zirakpur, near Chandigarh.
Sohals have been frequenting India as they perform “seva” at historic Gurdwara Reetha Sahib for the past many years.
Intriguingly, the Sikh Union Club in Nairobi, the oldest club of expatriate Indians in general and Sikhs in particular, is celebrating its centennial year in May. Avtar Singh Sohal has been one of the oldest members of the club.
“After the centennial celebrations in May, we both were planning to take retirement from the Sikh Union Club and hockey and live a peaceful life together. But she preferred to retire early and leave me alone,” sobbed Avtar Singh Sohal while breaking the news of her death. She would be cremated close to Gurdwara Reetha Sahib.
While trying to give back to the game what it has given him in his long-distinguished career as a player, coach, and administrator, Avtar Singh Sohal took upon himself the onerous task of replacing the existing Astroturf with a brand-new blue surface at Sikh Union Club. The new turf is all set for inauguration in May this year, when teams of expatriate Indians from England and Malaysia, besides the hosts Kenya, are expected to participate.
A special book on the life and contributions of Avtar Singh Sohal was also scheduled to be released during the Sikh Union Club celebrations.
(Prabhjot Singh, the Toronto-based senior journalist, has covered 11 Olympic Games. He was recently honored by AIPS, the international body of sports journalists, for his extensive coverage of multiple Olympics, spanning both summer and winter games. He can be reached at Prabhjot416@gmail.com)
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