Hardial Singh Kular - Sikhs The Supreme

It was a unique scene in June 1998 at UTRECHT World Cup when three generations of KULAR SIKHS from village Sansarpur (Jalandhar) represented THREE different continents in International hockey otherwise FOUR. While Hardial Singh represented Kenya and Africa, Bindi Singh Kular represented Canada and North America (a member of playing side of Canada representing North America) and Col. Balbir Singh (Services) represented India and Asia. The fourth continent Europe was represented by EIKKY who played for Great Britain in test matches.

Earlier in 1968 Olympic Games at Mexico, eight Sikh players from Sansarpur played in Olympic hockey competition; five for India and three for Kenya. Also in 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, four Sikhs represented India and two Sikhs represented Kenya in Hockey. It was never heard in the history of Olympic Games and international meets that players from a village have played in the same meet representing two The Mighty Sikhs / 196 or more different nations and continents. Hardial Singh along with Hardev Singh (both brothers) played for Kenya.

S. Hardial Singh Kular, nicknamed "Hardie", the pioneer of Sikh Union Hockey Club in Kenya and omnipresent at all FIH tournaments rose to as high as to become the Chief (Chairman) of African Hockey Federation and Kenyan Hockey Union, which he headed for many years; and Vice President of the Federation Internationale de Hockey (F.I.H. - International Hockey Federation). He was honoured with the Olympic Order by the Internatioanl Olympic Chief Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch himself on the eve of Utrecht World Cup in 1998 for promoting hockey in African continent. The African continent and specially Kenya shall always remain indebted to invaluable contribution made by Kular family to their hockey. S. Hardial Singh Kular also remained a coach as well as administrator of hockey in Africa for three decades.

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