Sansarpur’s hockey legacy on a new high — Mount Everest
CHANDIGARH: The legacy of Jalandhar’s Sansarpur — a village known for its 15 hockey Olympic medals won by its illustrious natives — has now touched a new high.
Colonel Sarfraz Singh Kular, who is a fourth generation army man and a son of 1968 Olympic medallist Col Balbir Singh, has scaled the world’s highest peak Mount Everest with his eight-member expedition team. Apart from his paraphernalia, Sarfraz, 40, was carrying something special with him — his favourite hockey stick.
“This was my father’s idea. Few years ago when I told him that I plan to climb the Everest, he told me to carry a hockey stick to the summit. He said it will inspire the youth of our village to pursue the sport seriously and add to its rich legacy,” Sarfraz told HT over phone from Kathmandu.
“Being from Sansarpur, I have a close association with hockey. Though, I didn’t pursue the sport seriously, I did captain the hockey team of Indian Military Academy (IMA). So, there is an emotional connect to it. Like any other Indian, I too want the golden days of hockey to be back again,” said Sarfraz, who is a director of National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in Arunachal Pradesh.
On his return, Sarfraz is planning to present the stick to Indian team wishing them good luck for future tournaments. “I will present the stick to the Hockey India officials and will also meet the Indian team,” says the armyman, who was named after former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz.
“At the summit, I prayed to the Almighty for the revival of Indian hockey. Hope my prayers will be answered and we will take the podium position in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” he adds. With the Everest, Col Sarfraz has climbed highest peaks of four continents --Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. “Now, I am planning to go to Antarctica,” he added.
Sarfraz’s grandfather was a former Services hockey player and had fought the World War-II. His great grandfather fought in World War-I.
This (Everest) is the nearest point to God from where I can pray for revival of Indian hockey. COL SARFRAZ SINGH KULAR, who scaled summit on May 20