Wife of Kenyan Hockey Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal, Ripudaman Kaur Sohal, Passes Away at 83

Ripudaman Kaur Sohal, 83, wife of prominent Kenyan hockey Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal, passed away at a hospital in Mohali. She had been admitted for several days and was scheduled to undergo low back surgery on Wednesday morning.

Kenya-born Avtar Singh Sohal represented the country in four consecutive Olympic Games as a hockey player, serving as captain in three of those appearances. He later returned to the Olympics as a coach with the Kenyan team, and subsequently as an official with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), marking six Olympic associations in total.

Originally from Chandigarh, Ripudaman Kaur Sohal and her family maintained close ties to the region, with a residence in Zirakpur near Chandigarh. In recent years, the Sohals frequently visited India, where they performed “seva” at the historic Gurdwara Reetha Sahib.

Avtar Singh Sohal is also among the senior members of the Sikh Union Club in Nairobi, one of the oldest expatriate Indian and Sikh institutions, which is set to celebrate its centennial in May.

“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,” said Avtar Singh Sohal, expressing grief over his wife’s passing. He added that her last rites would be performed near Gurdwara Reetha Sahib.

In parallel with the centennial celebrations, the Sikh Union Club is preparing to inaugurate a new blue Astroturf, replacing the existing surface. Teams of expatriate Indians from England and Malaysia, along with host nation Kenya, are expected to participate in the event.

A commemorative book on the life and contributions of Avtar Singh Sohal is also scheduled for release during the centennial celebrations.

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