Gurinder Singh Sangha named umpire manager for Jakarta Cup

Jalandhar, March 7

Jalandhar-based lecturer and International Umpire Gurinder Singh Sangha has been appointed as umpire manager for the Men’s AHF Cup Jakarta 2022, which will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from March 11 to 20.

Sangha is the only person from India and across Asia to have made it to the world’s top 20 umpire managers. Sangha, who has had a 15-year long career in international umpiring, will be in-charge for all the umpires for the Men’s AHF Cup Jakarta 2022.

Hailing from Jandu Singha village, Sangha is a lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School, Mithapur (the same village that have Indian Olympic team’s captain Manpreet Singh and team members Mandeep Singh and Varun Kumar).

Beginning his international career in umpiring from the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad in 2003, he has umpired for many prestigious international hockey tournaments. After the 2003 Hyderabad outing (in which he umpired four matches), he was approved as an international umpire by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Sangha, who was headed to Jakarta today, said, “I’m overwhelmed by the honour. My father was an international hockey player, but I could not play for the Indian team. I played for the state and played nationals, but could not represent India. But the love of hockey still didn’t diminish in me. With umpiring I have been able to keep my fire for the game alive.” —