Monday 29 / April / 2024
Muscat: Saiyed Ali Sibtain Naqvi is a known face in the Sultanate. The 85-year-old hockey veteran has played a major role in setting up the Oman Olympic Committee and has contributed tremendously to the sports scenario in the Sultanate.
Today, the Times of Oman is featuring Naqvi in its #OmanPride campaign.
Naqvi was the coach of the Indian hockey team (men) in 1973 and 1975, coach of the Indian hockey team (women) in 1978 and 1979, the national hockey coach of Oman in 1982, and technical adviser to the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) for 18 years from 1984 to 2002.
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In fact, it was he who established the OOC and designed the blueprint for the development of sports in Oman in 1983. He has the rare distinction of representing Oman at all sports-related meetings and seminars at the international and Olympic level.
Recently, the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) awarded him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is also the recipient of the Indo-Oman Friendship Sports Award in 2010 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sultanate of Oman in 2011. This hockey great is an epitome of hard work and honesty. He is revered, remembered and rewarded in both India and Oman.
According to him, Oman’s hockey scenario is not in a good shape at the moment, but should change soon.
Naqvi was asked to come to Oman in early 80s to establish a hockey team.
“In the early 1980s, I came to Oman after Dawood al Raisi, former chairman of the Oman Hockey Association, was looking for a coach for the Oman National Hockey team,” Naqvi said.
“After completing my task, I was asked to stay on and help set up the OOC and was sponsored by Dr. Hammad al Ghafri to do so,” he added.
According to Naqvi, after the national team was set up, there wasn’t much trouble in attracting players at the time because hockey was more popular than football.
In 1982, Oman was ranked at the sixth position out of the 12 teams that participated in the 9th Asian Games held in New Delhi.
“We were the first Arab country to have taken part,” Naqvi said.
During his time with the OOC as a technical adviser, Naqvi accompanied the Omani delegation to five Olympic and seven Asian Games. In Sydney and Seoul, stamps were issued with his photo on them in recognition of his contribution to sports.
Naqvi praised the contribution of His Majesty in the field of education, sports, etc. in the Sultanate and urged the people of Oman to pray for His Majesty’s health.
He also hoped His Majesty will be honoured with the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Naqvi’s hockey journey started in India when he was only eight years old. He got opportunities to play with some legendary Indian hockey players, such as KD Singh, Kishan Lal and Dhyan Chand during his childhood.
From 1949 to 1973, Naqvi played for numerous teams within India and has represented India in a test series against various countries.
