Sikhs in Hockey in England
Sikhs have played a significant role in the development of hockey in England since the early 20th century, contributing at school, club, county, and international levels.
One of the earliest recorded references comes from Hardit Singh Malik, who studied at Eastbourne College between 1910 and 1912. In his autobiography A Little Work, A Little Play, he wrote: "I played all the games - cricket in summer, hockey in winter." This is the earliest known account of a Sikh participating in hockey in England.
By the 1920s, Indian students at British universities were actively playing hockey and had formed the Indian Club, which toured Europe during university breaks. A notable milestone followed in 1928, when Kehar Singh Gill, a right half from Punjab, played for the Indian Olympic team in a match against the Combined Services at Aldershot while en route to the Amsterdam Olympic Games-where India went on to win gold. This is one of the earliest recorded instances of a Sikh playing international hockey in England.
In the years that followed, Sikh players became increasingly prominent in university and county hockey. Mehar Singh Grewal represented Sheffield University between 1938 and 1942, earning Full Colours and also playing for Yorkshire. Around the same period, players such as Balbir Singh Sr., Tarlochan Singh Bawa, and Grahanandan "Nandy" Singh appeared at prominent venues including Sudbury, Park Royal, Chiswick, and Wembley during the London 1948 Olympic Games.
By the late 1940s and 1950s, Sikh participation in club hockey continued to grow. Photographic records show Sikh players competing at events like the Folkestone Festival in 1949. Sukdev (Sukhi) Singh Rao played for Brighton Students in the mid-1950s before progressing to top London clubs and county hockey. Bakhtawar (Tauri) Singh Kullar became a pioneering figure at Yorkshire, making over 100 appearances, while Joginder Singh Dillon and Jaswinder (Jas) Singh Missan both made significant contributions at university and county level, with Missan later captaining Spencer Hockey Club to a historic London League title.
Growth in the Midlands and South
During the early 1960s, Sikh hockey activity expanded rapidly across England. In the Midlands, Sucha Singh founded the United Brothers Club, which competed in tournaments and festivals nationwide. The arrival of Indian internationals such as Gurjit Kular (1961) and Darshan Singh (1967) strengthened the team, which later evolved into Khalsa Hockey Club.
In the South, the formation of the London League in 1969 marked a major step forward in competitive hockey. Bringing together the leading 21 clubs in the region, it provided a structured, high-level competition in which Sikh players quickly established themselves. Over the league's 19 seasons:
Sikh players featured in every season
They represented 14 of the 26 participating clubs
59 Sikh players competed, including 16 internationals
5 served as club captains
4 officiated as umpires
A memorable highlight came during the league's fourth season, when Spencer Hockey Club faced Hampstead in a match where both captains were Sikhs born in Mombasa, Kenya-Jaswinder (Jas) Missan for Spencer and Sukdev (Sukhi) Singh Rao for Hampstead. The match ended in a hard-fought 0-0 draw, symbolising both the competitiveness of the league and the growing influence of Sikh players.
Modern Era and Legacy
The establishment of the National Hockey League in the 1988-89 season marked the beginning of a new era in English hockey. Sikh players continued to emerge at the highest levels, building on decades of contribution and success.
By 1974, Sikh players had begun representing England internationally, and since then, they have remained a consistent presence across all levels of the sport-from grassroots to elite competition.
This rich history reflects not only sporting achievement but also the enduring contribution of Sikh communities to the development of hockey in England.
Please explore the sections in the menu to learn more about players, clubs, and key milestones in this journey.